Warriors Read: Into The Wild
by Ivypool
Summary: The clans are at peace, and Spottedleaf has an idea. To read the Warriors series! She, and Bluestar, gathers the most important cats and they all meet at Thunderclan's camp. During this time they laugh, fight, throw a few insults and threats, and they may even become closer friends. This is the first book they read: Into The Wild! I don't own Warriors, Erin Hunter owns them.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! :D The next chapter will be up soon, if I get good reviews I will continue. The time the book is being read is in bold, so that it stands out. Now, here are the cats who will be reading, if you think I missed a cat who should be added, tell me and I'll consider it.**

_**Cats:**_

**Thunderclan:**

Bramblestar

Squirrelflight

Leafpool

Jayfeather

Lionblaze

Dovewing

Ivypool

Graystripe

Sandstorm

Cloudtail

Dustpelt

Cinderheart

Bumblestripe

**Shadowclan:**

Blackstar

Tigerheart

Tawnypelt

**Riverclan:**

Mistystar

Mothwing

**Windclan:**

Onestar

Crowfeather

Breezepelt

**Skyclan:**

Leafstar

Echosong

**Tribe:**

Stormfur

**Starclan:**

Firestar

Bluestar

Spottedleaf

Yellowfang

Cinderpelt

Feathertail

Hollyleaf

Ashfur

Silverstream

Half Moon

**Dark Forest:**

Tigerstar

Hawkfrost

Brokenstar

**Other:**

Princess

Ravenpaw

* * *

Sandstorm yawned, standing up from her nest. Outside the den she could here a lot of cats talking. Had she missed the call for a meeting? She padded out of the warrior's den and into the camp clearing.

She was shocked at the sight. In the clearing where tons of cats. And she knew every one of them. Sandstorm spotted cats from Shadowclan, Riverclan, and Windclan. There was even Leafstar and Echosong! And a few Dark Forest cats...

Sandstorm wondered why they where here. As she looked around at all the talking cats she noticed one that stood out. Sandstorm's eyes widened and she ran toward the ginger cat. "Firestar!" She yelled as he turned to look at her.

She ran forward and touched noses with him. Firestar had died not long ago, but Sandstorm already missed him. Why was he here? Why where any of these cats here? Sandstorm purred, curling her tail around Firestar's.

Firestar licked her ear. "Firestar, I've missed you so much." Sandstorm pressed her nose to his pelt.

"I have missed you too." Firestar purred back. But before they could say anything, a yowl silenced the clearing.

Sandstorm looked up at the Highledge, where she saw a vary familiar blue-gray cat. Bluestar!

Bluestar scanned the clearing. "Hello everyone," She started. "Some of you Thunderclan cats may be wondering why there are so many cats in your camp." She paused, "Spottedleaf has come up with an idea a while ago. And that was to read the warrior's series." She flicked her tail to a large pile of Twoleg objects at her side. "Twolegs, somehow have been recording what we have been doing for the past seasons, starting from when Firestar enters the clan.

"Spottedleaf has suggested to read the series. Now that the Dark Forest battle is over, we can do that. You are all the cats we have chosen to read the books, and when we all get into a big circle we can start." Bluestar grabbed the book from the top of the pile and jumped down from the Highledge.

Sandstorm sat next to Firestar as they formed a circle. She recognized most cats cat here, but there was one cat she didn't know. It was a skinny white she-cat with green eyes who sat close to Jayfeather.

"Alright, I'll read first because I came up with the idea." Spottedleaf took the book from Bluestar and turned to the first page. She glanced up at the large circle of cats, then down at the book. "This is the prologue."

**A half-moon glowed on smooth granite boulders, turning them silver. The silence was broken only by the ripple of water from the swift black river and the whisper of trees in the forest beyond.**

"Wait." Dovewing spoke up. "This is supposed to take place around the time Firestar enters the clans?"

"Yes." Spottedleaf nodded, then continued reading.

**There was a stirring in the shadows, and from all around lithe dark shapes crept stealthily over the rocks.**

"What are they?" Bumblestripe asked from where he sat by Dovewing.

"Sounds like the Dark Forest to me." Lionblaze commented.

Tigerstar shook his head, "It's not." For the first time Sandstorm noticed that he was there. She glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Then what is it?" Ivypool asked.

"Be quite and you will see." Bluestar told them.

**Unsheathed claws glittered in the moon light. Wary eyes flashed like amber.**

"This has lots of detail." Leafstar spoke up. Next to her Echosong nodded.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Ivypool asked them.

"I am Leafstar of Skyclan, and this is my medicine cat Echosong." Leafstar explained.

"Skyclan?" Dustpelt asked, "I thought there was only four clans."

Firestar glanced at Bluestar, "I thought so too, but I found out about the fifth awhile ago." He looked over at Dustpelt, "We will get to Skyclan in the books."

Dustpelt just nodded and glanced over at Leafstar and Echosong.

**And then, as if on silent signal, the creatures leapt at each other, and suddenly the rocks where alive with wrestling, screeching cats. At the center of the frenzy, a massive dark brown tabby pinned a bracken-colored tom to the ground and drew his head up triumphantly.**

"Let me guess, it's you." Bramblestar looked over at Tigerstar.

Tigerstar only nodded.

"Who's the other cat?" Jayfeather asked.

"Oakheart." Bluestar explained, "He was Riverclan's deputy at the time."

"So the battle's between Thunderclan and Shadowclan?" Breezepelt asked this time.

"Yes." Bluestar answered.

"Why where you fighting?" Breezepelt asked.

"If you would let me read, you would find out!" Spottedleaf said, annoyed with the interruptions already. When no cat said anything, she started to read again.

**"Oakheart!" the tabby growled. "How dare you hunt in our territory? The Sunningrocks belong to Thunderclan!" "After tonight, Tigerclaw, this will be just another Riverclan hunting ground!" The bracken-colored tom spat back. A warning yowl came from down shore, shrill and anxious. "Look out! More Riverclan warriors are coming!**

"Who yelled that?" Sandstorm asked. She hadn't been able to go to this battle, so she kind of wanted to know. All she got in reply where a few shrugs, but no answers.

**Tigerclaw turned to see sleek wet bodies sliding out of the water below the rocks. The drenched Riverclan warriors bounded silently up the shore and hurled themselves into battle without even stopping to shake water from their fur.**

"Oh, wow." Dovewing said, sounding a bit surprised.

"We where awesome, weren't we?" Silverstream purred, from her spot next to Graystripe.

A few cats nodded in agreement, but that was it.

**The dark tabby glared down at Oakheart. "You may swim like otters, but you and your warriors do not belong in this forest!" he drew back his lips to show his teeth as the cat struggled beneath him.**

"Don't kill him!" Hollyleaf suddenly yelled out. Tigerstar just snorted.

**The desperate screen from a Thunderclan she-cat rose above the clamor. A wiry Riverclan tom had pinned the brown warrior flat on her belly.**

"Mousefur?" Graystripe guessed.

"How did you know?" Tigerstar asked.

Graystripe said, "She was the only brown she-cat at the time."

**Now he lunged toward her neck with jaws still dripping from the swim across the river. Tigerclaw heard the cry and let go of Oakheart.**

"Since when will you save a clan mate?" Sandstorm asked him.

Tigerstar glared at her, "You want a perfectly good Thunderclan warrior to be killed in some fight over the Sunningrocks?"

"No, I'm just wondering." Sandstorm pressed closer to Firestar.

**With a mighty leap, he knocked the enemy warrior away from the she-cat. "Quick Mousefur, run!" he ordered, before turning on the Riverclan tom who had threatened her. Mousefur scrambled to her paws, wincing at a deep gash on her shoulder, and raced away.**

"Oww." Hollyleaf winced as well, as if she could feel it too.

**Behind her, Tigerclaw spat with rage as the Riverclan tom sliced open his nose. Blood blinded him for an instant, but he lunged forward regardless and sank his teeth into the hind leg of his enemy. The Riverclan cat squealed and struggled free.**

"How come you never describe the Riverclan cat?" Ashfur asked.

"I saw wondering that too." Feathertail added.

"Ask the Twolegs, not me." Spottedleaf said. "They are the ones who made these books, so there may be some mistakes."

Ashfur sighed and nodded, "Keep reading."

**"Tigerclaw!" The yowl came from a warrior with a tail as red as fox fur.**

"Redtail!" Sandstorm squealed. She wished he was here now, she missed him. "Why isn't he here?"

Spottedleaf shrugged, "We asked him if he wanted to come."

Sandstorm narrowed her eyes but said nothing more.

**"This is useless! There are too many Riverclan warriors!" "No, Redtail, Thunerclan will never be beaten!" Tigerclaw yowled back, leaping to Redtail's side. "This is our territory!" Blood was welling around his broad black muzzle, and he shook his head impatiently, scattering scarlet drops onto the rocks.**

"Eww." Princess, Firestar's sister said from the other side of him. "That's just gross."

**"Thunderclan will honor your courage, Tigerclaw, but we cannot afford to lose any more warriors." Redtail urged. "Bluestar would never expect her warriors to fight against these impossible odds."**

"No, I wouldn't." Bluestar glanced over at Tigerstar.

**"****We will have another chance to avenge this defeat." He met Tigerclaw's amber-eyed gaze steadily, then reared away and sprang onto a boulder at the edge of the trees. "Retreat, Thunderclan! Retreat!" he yowled.**

"That was short." Lionblaze sighed.

"Who talks so much while fighting?" Tigerheart added.

Tigerstar growled but didn't say anything.

**"t once his warriors squirmed and struggled away from their opponents. Snarling and spitting, they backed towards Redtail. For a heartbeat the Riverclan warriors looked confused. Was this battle so easily won?**

"It was." Mistystar purred.

**Then Oakheart yowled a jubilant cry.**

"What dose jubilant mean?" Cinderpelt asked.

Princess spoke this time, "It means to express or feel great happiness and triumph."

"Oh." Was all Cinderpelt said.

**As soon as they heard him, the Riverclan warriors raised their voices and joined their deputy in caterwauling their victory.**

"Oh! That's what that sound was." Blackstar suddenly exclaimed, laughing. "Shadowclan heard that, you know."

**Redtail looked down at his warriors. Wit a flick of his tail, he gave the signal and the Thunderclan cats dived down the far side of the Sunningrocks, then disappeared into the trees. Tigerclaw followed last. He hesitated at the edge of the forest and glanced back at the bloodstained battlefield. His face was grim, eyes furious slits. Then he leapt after his clan into the forest.**

"Was that it?" Ravenpaw asked.

"No." Spottedleaf shook her head. "There is a pause. We still have like a whole two pages left." She started to read again.

**In a deserted clearing, an old gray she-cat sat alone, staring up at the clear night sky.**

"_Old_?" Bluestar exclaimed. "Did you just call me old?" She hissed at her former medicine cat.

"No, the Twolegs did.!" Spottedleaf defended herself.

"Mouse-brained Twolegs!" Bluestar growled.

**All around her in the shadows she could hear the breathing and stirring of sleeping cats. A small tortoiseshell she-cat emerged from a dark corner, her paw steps quick and soundless.**

"That's you right?" The skinny white she-cat by Jayfeather asked. (Half Moon.) Sandstorm still didn't know he name.

"Yes." Spottedleaf answered before reading again.

**The gray cat dipped her head in greeting. "How is Mousefur?" She meowed. "her wounds are deep Bluestar." Answered the small trtoiseshell, settling herself on the night-cool grass. "But she is young and strong; she will heal quickly." "And the others?" "They will recover too."**

"Is this when you say the prophecy?" Firestar asked.

"Soon." Spottedleaf answered.

**Bluestar sighed. "We are lucky not to have lost any of our warriors this time. You are a gifted medicine cat, Spottedleaf." She tilted her head back and studied the stars. "I am deeply troubled by tonight's defeat. Thunderclan has not been beaten in it's own territory since I became leader."**

"Why where you not at the battle?" Hawkfrost asked.

"Someone had to defend the camp, and I sent all my warriors to go fight." Bluestar answered.

**She murmured. "These are difficult times for the clan. The season of newleaf is late, and there have been fewer kits. Thunderclan needs more warriors if it is to survive." "But the year is only just beginning." Spottedleaf pointed out calmly. "There will be more kits when greenleaf comes." The gray cat twitched her broad shoulders.**

"Is this almost over?" Bumblestripe asked. "I'm hungry."

"Me too." Graystripe commented.

"You're always hungry." Sandstorm twitched her whiskers with amusement.

"No I'm not!" Graystripe protested.

"Yea you are." Firestar purred, "Remember when Tigerstar made you eat two mice because you where helping me take care of Yellowfang? You still had room, even after your own meal." Yellowfang growled a little at this.

"I remember that." Ravenpaw laughed. Graystripe glared at the two.

Spottedleaf took the moment of silence to start reading again.

**"Perhaps. But training our young to become warriors takes time. If Thunderclan is to defend its territory, it must have new warriors as soon as possible." "Are you asking Starclan for answers?" meowed Spottedleaf gently, following Bluestar's gaze and staring up at the swath of stars glittering in the dark sky.**

"Hey Firestar?" Cloudtail suddenly asked.

"Yea?" Firestar glanced over at him.

"In what book will I come in?" Cloudtail asked.

Firestar shrugged. "I'm not sure. It wasn't soon after I became a warrior, though."

"It will be in the second book, I think." Bluestar told them.

"WHy did you just suddenly ask?" Firestar questioned the white warrior.

"I was just wondering." Cloudtail shrugged.

**"It is at times like this we need the words of ancient warriors to help us. Has Starclan spoken to you?" Bluestar asked. "Not for some moons Bluestar." Suddenly a shooting star blazed over the treetops. Spottedleaf's tail twitched and the fur along her spin bristled. Bluestar's ear pricked but she remained silent as Spottedleaf** **continued to gaze upwards.**

"That's how you got the prophecy?" Firestar asked. Spottedleaf nodded.

**After a few moments, Spottedleaf lowered her head and turned to Bluestar. "It was a message from Starclan." She murmured. A distant look came to her eyes, "Fire alone can save the clan."**

"And it has, many times." Yellowfang commented. Sandstorm thought she had sounded a bit proud, but wasn't sure why she would.

**"Fire?" Bluestar echoed, "But fire is feared by all the clans! How can it save us?"**

"I would have just called you crazy." Jayfeather said.

"Hey!" Spottedleaf growled, then continued reading before any cat could say anything.

**Spottedleaf shook her head, "I do not know." She admitted. "But this is the message Starclan has chosen to share with me."**

**The Thunderclan leader fixed her gaze on the medicine cat. "You have never been wrong before, Spottedleaf." She meowed. "If Starclan has spoken, then it must be so. Fire will save our clan."**

"Is that it?" Graystripe asked. When Spottedleaf nodded, Graystripe, Bumblestripe, and Cloudtail all jumped up and raced for the fresh-kill pile. They all raced to get the best piece.

A few cats laughed at that. When the three returned, it turned out that Cloudtail had won.

Bluestar said, "Alright, who want to read next?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to all those people who reviewed! :D Oh, and yes it is going to get funnier.**

**Forestclaw- I don't really count on making Jayfeather read, so he is just listening as they read.**

**Grasswing of Wingclan- I'm planning to, but thats going to take a LONG time and a lot of writing. :)**

* * *

"Who wants to read next?" Spottedleaf asked.

"Firestar! Firestar! Firestar! Firestar!" Cloudtail started, and then Lionblaze, Graystripe, Squirrelflight, Bramblestar, and Bumblestripe joined in.

"Fine. I'll read." Firestar took the book from Spottedleaf. "Just be quite."

Once everyone settled down and stopped talking, Firestar started.

**It was vary dark.**

"Well, that's a good way to start it." Dustpelt laughed, only to get shushed by Sandstorm.

**Rusty could sense something was near.**

"_Rusty_?" Lionblaze blurted out, and a lot of the younger cats started laughing.

"What kind of name is that?" Dovewing asked.

"Your kittypet name was Rusty?" Breezepelt managed to get out between laughs.

Firestar growled, "Yea, I know. Not the best name, but at least I have a better one now." It took a little, but sooner or later everyone calmed down again.

**The young tomcat's eyes opened wide as he scanned the dense undergrowth. This place was unfamiliar, but the strange scents drew him onward.**

"Are you saying that forest cats smell weird?" Blackstar growled.

"At first, yes." Firestar said, "And anyway, that isn't what the scent is."

**His stomach growled, reminding him of his hunger. He opened his jaws slightly to let the warm smells of the forest reach the scent glands on the roof of his mouth. Musty odors of leaf mold mingled with the tempting aroma of a small furry creature. Suddenly a flash of gray passed him.**

"What is it?" Cinderheart asked.

"I bet it's just a mouse." Said Leafpool.

**Rusty stopped still, listening. It was hiding in the leaves less then two tail lengths away. Rusty knew it was a mouse-**

"Told you!" Leafpool yowled, sounding proud.

**-he could feel the rapid pulsing of a tiny heart deep within his ear fur.**

"How could you feel that?" Jayfeather asked. "Was the forest really that silent?"

Firestar simply shrugged.

**He swallowed, stifling his rumbling stomach. Soon his hunger would be satisfied.**

"Well _I'll _still be hungry!" Cloudtail grumbled. Graystripe nodded in agreement.

**Slowly he lowered his body into position, crouching for the attack. He was down wind from the mouse.**

"How do you already know how to hunt if your still just a Kittypet?" Onestar asked.

"Instinct?" Firestar said, but it came out as a question.

"Firestar, I've seen Kittypets hunt. Most of them are no good at it." Leafstar told him.

"_Most _of them." Firestar said, tail swishing with annoyance. Onestar rolled his eyes.

"Firestar?" Cloudtail looked over at him.

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry." Cloudtail whined, even though he just ate.

"I know." Firestar rolled his eyes, then started to read again.

**He knew it was not aware of him. With one final check on his prey's position, Rusty pushed back hard on his haunches and sprang, kicking up leaves on the forest floor as he rose. The mouse dived for cover,**

"Get it!" Squirrelflight suddenly jumped up. Bramblestar purred beside her as she sat back down and gave her chest a few embarrassed licks.

**heading towards a hole in the ground. But Rusty was already on top of it. He scooped it up into the air, hooking the helpless creature with his thorn sharp claws, flinging it up in a high arch onto the leaf-covered ground. The mouse landed dazed, but still alive.**

"How is it _still _alive?" Brokenstar exclaimed madly. His claws dug into the ground as it was prey.

"Kill it!" Squirrelflight shouted.

**It tried to run, but Rusty snatched it again.**

"Stop torturing it!" Dovewing cried, "Just kill it already!"

**He tossed it once more, this time a little father away. The mouse managed to scramble a few paces away before Rusty caught up with it. Suddenly a noise roared near by.**

"What is it?" Mothwing asked.

"Badger?" Lionblaze guessed.

"A monster?" Cinderpelt said fearfully.

"Twolegs?" Crowfeather suggested.

**Rusty looked around, and as he did so, the mouse was able to pull away from his claws.**

"Yay! Go mouse!" Dovewing cheered. She must have really felt bad for that poor thing.

A few cats looked at her funny but no one said anything.

**When Rusty turned back he saw it dart into the darkness among the tangled roots of a tree. Angry, Rusty gave up the hunt. He spun around, his green eyes glaring, intent on searching out the noise that had cost him his kill.**

"Well, you should have killed the mouse instead of playing with your food." Tigerstar growled, like Firestar was an apprentice and he could pick on him again. Hawkfrost nodded in agreement beside him.

"I would have." Cloudtail said.

Graystripe nodded, "If your so hungry then you should have killed it."

Firestar glared at each of them, then read.

**The sound rattled on, becoming more familiar. Rusty blinked opened his eyes. The had forest disappeared.**

"What?!" Multiple cats exclaimed, all glaring at Firestar. Firestar just laughed at their faces.

"It was just a dream?" Yellowfang asked, sounding a little confused. Firestar nodded.

"I thought there was going to be some sort of exciting fight." Lionblaze sighed.

"Me too." Hawkfrost nodded.

**He was inside a hot and airless kitchen, curled up on his bed.**

"What is a kitchen?" Brokenstar asked.

"And what is a bed?" Onestar added.

"Oh! A kitchen is where Twolegs get all their food. Kind of like our fresh-kill piles, I guess." Echosong spoke up.

Then Graystripe added, "And a bed... is just pretty much another word for nest."

"How would you know?" Tigerstar asked curiously.

"I was a Kittypet for a while." Graystripe said flatly.

"Skyclan is a lot different then these clans." Leafstar answered. Firestar and Sandstorm nodded in agreement.

"You will learn about Skyclan when we read their two Super Editions." Bluestar told everyone.

"Oh! We have Super Edidtions?" Echosong squealed excitedly. Bluestar nodded.

**Moonlight filtered through the window, casting shadows on the smooth, hard floor. The noise had been the rattle of hard, dried pellets of food as they tipped into his dish.**

"Eww." Leafpool made a face.

"It's actually not that bad." Graystripe said. Most cats looked at him as if he had grown a second tail.

Cloudtail looked hopefully at Firestar. "Can I have some?"

"I thought we went over this a while ago." Firestar growled. "No, warriors don't eat Kittypet food." He picked up the book again.

**Rusty had been dreaming.**

A few cats sighed loudly.

"We got that." Jayfeather muttered.

**Lifting his head, he rested his chin on the side of his bed. His collar rubbed uncomfortably against his neck. In his dream he had felt fresh air ruffling the soft fur where the collar usually pinched.**

"Collars are not that bad, Firestar." Princess told him. She still had on her familiar pink collar.

"They are to clan cats." Blackstar told her. "They get in our way while fighting."

"How do you even stand to wear that thing?" Dustpelt made a face.

"And that bell, it just messes up hunting." Silverstream added.

"Mine doesn't have a bell." Princess defended herself.

"Your not free unless you get rid or that collar." Tigerheart put in.

Princess looked a upset at what they said so Firestar told her, "It's okay Princess. You don't have to get rid of your collar. No one here will make you. I think you look better with that collar on." He licked her ear.

"Thanks Firestar." Princess purred to her brother. Most cats didn't know they where littermates, so they looked Firestar like he was crazy.

**Rusty rolled onto his back, savoring the dream for a few more moments. He could still smell the mouse. It was the third time since the full moon that he'd had that dream,**

"The third time? Isn't that a bit much for a Kittypet?" Mistystar asked.

"Not for me." Firestar shook his head.

**and everytime the mouse escaped his grasp. He licked his lips.**

"I have been licking mine since you started talking about the mouse." Cloudtail said, swipping his tongue over his lips.

"Really? Your that hungry?" Tigerheart shook his head. What was wrong with that cat? How dose he even survive leafbare?

"Yes! I am!" Cloudtail yelled at the Shadowclan tom. Just then his belly growled loudly, everyone laughed at that. (Even Tigerstar, surprisingly.)

**From his bed he could smell the bland oder of his food.**

"That's still gross." Half Moon said flatly.

"Rusty is not going to eat that stuff, is he?" Blackstar meowed.

Firestar hissed, "Don't call me that!"

"I'll call you what I want, Rusty." Blackstar told him in a calm voice.

"If your going to call me names, then you can leave the camp." Firestar growled.

Blackstar grumbled but didn't say anything.

**His owners always refilled his dish before they went to bed. The dusty smell chased away the warm scents of his dream.**

"I can see why." Tawnypelt said. Cats nodded and murmured agreement.

**But the hunger rambled on his his stomach,**

"And in mine!" Cloudtail whined.

"Shut up!" Most cats yowled at him, and the rest laughed.

**,so Rusy stretched the sleep from his limbs and padded across the kitchen floor to his dinner. The food felt dry and tasteless on his tongue. Rusty reluctantly swallowed one more mouthful.**

"Why do you eat that stuff?" Feathertail asked.

"It's what they gave me." Firestar answered her.

"I'm so glad I live in the clans." Cinderheart meowed, "I would _hate _living there." Cinderpelt nodded in agreement.

**Then he turned away from the food dish and pushed his way through the cat flap, hoping that the smells of the garden would bring back the feelings of his dream.**

"What?!" Graystripe suddenly yowled. All the cat looked over at him, most surprised by the sudden anger.

"What's wrong Graystripe?" Silverstream asked.

"You got to come an go freely?" Graystripe glared at Firestar. "I was locked up inside for moons! I had to go upstairs, squeeze through a window, and then climb down a tree."

Firestar meowed, "Not all Kittypets get it. And even if yours did have it, they would probably have it shut so that you don't run away."

Graystripe grumbled angrily to himself, but flicked his tail to show that Firestar could read. He settled down a bit, though when Silverstream pressed against his side.

**Outside, the moon was bright. It was raining lightly. Rusty stalked down the tiny garden, following the starlit gravel path, felling the stones cold and sharp beneath his paws. He made his dirt beneath a large bush with glossy green leaves and heavy purple flowers.**

"Gross, how much dose this book tell you?" Crowfeather made a face. All he got back where a few shrugs.

**Their sickly sweet sent cloyed the damp air around him, and he curled his lip to drive the smell out of his nostrils. Afterward, Rusty settled down on top of one of the posts in the fence that marked the limets of his garden.**

"That's where I always saw you." Bluestar told him. Firestar nodded and then read,

**It was a favorite spot of his, **

"Why?" Blackstar asked.

"The book will have to say." Feathertail said.

**,as he could see right into the neighboring gardens as well into the dence green forest on the other side of the garden fence.**

"I could see why it was one of your favorite." Spottedleaf meowed for the first time in a while.

"It would probably be one of mine too, if I lived there." Ravenpaw said, quickly added in the end.

**The rain had stopped. Behind him, the close-cropped lawn was bathed in moonlight, but beyond the fence the forest was full of shadows. Rusty stretched his head forward to take a sniff of the damp air. His skind was warm and dry under his thick coat, but he feel the weight of the rain-drops that sparkled on his ginger fur.**

"I hate rain." Ashfur growled, making everyone jump. They all had forgotten that he was here.

"It's not too bad." Mothwing shrugged.

"Personally, I love the rain." Mistystar told them.

"Yea, well your _Riverclan_." Ashfur told them.

"Is there something wrong with Riverclan?" Hawkfrost growled, jumping up from his spot.

"Well... Lets see, there is the fact that-" Ashfur was caught off.

"All clans have weaknesses," Stormfur cut off the Starclan cat, trying to calm down the cats without picking sides. "There is something good, and bad, about each clan. So, we don't need to fight, because no clan is better or worse then the next."

"Well said." Bluestar nodded as the arguing cats sat back down. Stormfur flicked his ear to show that he had heard.

Firestar took this as a chance to read again.

**He heard his owners giving him one last call from the back door.**

"I like how you called them owners." Tigerstar's whiskers twitched in amusement.

**If he went to them now, they would greet him with gental words and caresses and welcome him onto their bed, where he would curl, purring, warm in the crook of a bent knee. But this time, Rusty ignored his owners' voices and turned his gaze back to the forest.**

"Is this when you go into the forest?" Cinderpelt asked, eyes excited.

"Listen and you will find out." Firestar told her, then read again.

**The crisp smell of the woods had grown fresher by the rain. Suddenly the fur on his spine prickled.**

"What's wrong?" Feathertail asked.

"Shh!" Stormfur hissed at her, then leaned forward, excited to listen to the story.

**Was something moving out there? Was something watching him? **

"I wouldn't be scared. It wss probably just Graystripe making a bunch of noise." Bluestar told the book.

**Rusty stared ahead, but it was impossible to see or smell anything in the dark, tree-scented air. He lifted his chin boldly, stood up, and stretched, one paw gripping each corner of the fence post as he straitened his legs and arched his back. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of woods once more. It seemed to promise him something, tempting him onward into the whispering shadows.**

"You make the forest sound creepy." Brokenstar said.

"Well, Shadowclan side is." Dovewing mewed, whiskers twitching.

Brokenstar frowned and glared at her.

**Tensing his muscles, he crouched for a moment. Then he leapt lightly down into the rough grass on the other side of the garden fence. As he landed, the bell on his callar rang out through the still night air. "Where are you off to, Rusty?"**

"Oooh! You got caught!" Cloudtail, Graystripe, and Hawkfrost yowled at the same time.

Hawkfrost looked away angrily, and embarrassed. Cloudtail and Graystripe just fell over laughing. Firestar watched them, amused untill they stopped.

**meowed a familiar voice behind him. Rusty looked up. A young black-and-white cat was balencing ungracefully on the fence.**

"Smudge!" Princess suddenly gasped. "That's him, right?" She looked happy to hear about him in the book.

"Yea, it is." Firestar purred.

"_Smudge_? What kind of name is that?" Breezepelt and Bramblestar both laughed. They both stopped immediately after they both realized that they said that at the same time.

**"Hello Smudge." Rusty replied. "You're not going into the woods, are you?" Smudge's amber eyes were huge. "Just for a look." **

"Yes, just a look." Yellowfang rolled her eyes.

**Rusty promised, shifting uncomfortably. "You wouldn't get me in there! It's dangerous!"**

"Maybe to you." Lionblaze said. "Even Dovewing would be able to beat him up!"

"Hey! That was mean!" Dovewing shoved him hard, but playfully. Lionblaze acted as if he didn't even fell it.

Ivypool and Cinderheart laughed as Dovewing sat back down, frowning. Dovewing grumbled to herself about Lionblaze being mean and somthing about his 'stupid powers'.

**"Smudge wrinkled his black nose eith distaste. "Henry said**

"I know Henry!" Princess shouted excitedly.

"Of course you do." Crowfeather rolled his eyes.

**He went into the woods once." The cat lifted his head and gestured with his nose over the rows of fences toward the garden where Henry lived. "That fat old tabby never went into the woods!" Rusty scoffed. "He's hardly been beyond his own garden since his trip to the vet. All he wants to do is eat and sleep."**

"The vet?" Sandstorm asked, confused.

"The Cutter." Firestar translated.

"Oh, okay." Sandstorm nodded, understanding now.

**"No, really! He caught a robbin in there!" Smudge insisted.**

"Well, if he did, then that must have been before the Cutter." Echosong said.

**"Well, if he did, then it was before the vet.**

Multiple cats broke out in laughter. "You sound like Firestar!" Leafstar said.

When the laughes died down, Firestar started again.

**Now he _complains _about birds because they disturb his dozing."**

"What?!" All the cats exclaimed.

"There is something seriously wrong with that cat, Rusty." Jayfeather growled. Breezepelt actually nodded in agreement, to many cats surprise.

"Don't call me Rusty!" Firestar growled for the second time today. A few cats laughed at that.

**"Well, anyway," Smudge went on, ignoring the scorn in Rusty's mew. "Henery told me there are all sorts of dangerous animals out there. Huge wildcats who eat live rabbits for breakfast and sharpen their claws on old bones!"**

Many cats growled at this.

"It's always the same thing." Graystripe grolwed.

"Why are they so scared of us, don't they have their own territories too?" Ivypool asked.

"Some do. But only the mean ones." Graystripe told her. Ivypool snorted.

**"I'm only going for a look around." Rusty meowed. "I won't stay long."**

"Sure you won't." Sandstorm purred, licking her mate's pelt.

**"Well, don't say I didn't warn you!" Purred Smudge. The black-and-white ****cat turned and plunged off the down into his own garden. Rusty sat down in the coarse grass beyond the garden fence. He gave his shoulder a nervous lick and wondered how much of Smudge's gossip was true.**

"Only that wildcats are in the forest." Crowfeather and Leafpool said at the same time. They glanced at each other a quickly looked away.

Firestar started reading to avoid an awkward moment.

**Suddenly the movement of a tiny creature caught his eye. He watched it scuttle under some brambles. Instinct made him drop into a low crouch.**

The cats outside of Thunderclan leaned foward, hoping that it would explain how to hunt forest prey.

**With one slow paw after another he drew his body forward through the undergrowth. Ears pricked, nostrils flared, eyes unblinking, he moved toward the animal. He could see it clearly now, sitting up among the barbed branches, nibbling on a large seed held between its paws. It was a mouse.**

Everyone was silent untill Squirrelflight broke it. "Jump on it!" Squirrelflight shouted excitedly. The cats all jumped, they hadn't expected that.

"Shut up!" Leafpool hit the back of her sister's head with her tail.

**Rusty rocked his haunches from side to side, preparing to leap. He held his breath in case his bell rang again. Excitement coursed through him, making his heart pound. This was even better then his dreams! Then suddenly a noise of cracking twigs and crunching leaves made him jump. His bell jangled treacherously, and the mouse darted away into the thickest tangle of the bramble bush.**

"Aww!" All the cats groaned or hissed or spat or sighed, except for Tigerstar and Firestar who just watched amused.

Breezepelt let out a long stream of insults as Jayfeather said, "I bet it is Smudge making all that noise. Honestly Firestar, how could you be friends with that lazy mouse-brained Kittypet?"

Half Moon gasped as if she couldn't believe he would ever say that, and shifted away from him. "That was mean!"

"You better get used to it." Lionblaze purred. "I've had to deal with him my whole life, and what? You know him for like a day?"

Half Moon coughed awkwardly. "Well..." She glanced over at Jayfeather for help.

"Wait, you know Jayfeather already?" Hollyleaf asked, confused.

Jayfeather tilted his head, "Kind of... We will read about it, later."

All the cats just stared at him, until Firestar broke the silence finally.

**Rusty stood very still and looked around. He could see the white tip of a red bushy tail trailing through a clump of tall ferns up ahead. He smelled a strong, strange scent, definitely a meat-eater, but neither cat nor dog.**

All the cats stiffened, except for Princess who just stared at them confused.

"Dose Rusty survive?" Cloudtail asked in a small voice.

"Obviously! He is right there!" Bramblestar flicked his tail at Firestar and cuffed Cloudtail over the ear with his paw.

"Survive what?" Princess asked, still confused on what animal it was.

"A fox." Ravenpaw told her.

"Oh!" Princess gasped. "Oh, that's what it is!" She mentally face-pawed.

**Distracted, Rusty forgot about the mouse and watched the red tail curiously. He wanted to get a better look.**

"No!" About half the cats gasped.

Firestar chucked to himself, then read.

**All of Rusty's senses strained ahead as he prowled forward. Then he detected another noise. It came from behind him, but sounded muted and distant. he swiveled his ears backward to hear it better. _Pawsteps?_**

Firestar and Graystripe shared a quick glance at each other but didn't say anything.

**He wondered, but he kept his eyes fixed on the strange red fur up ahead, and continued to creed onward.**

"Hey, Jayfeather, Lionblaze." Hollyleaf started. "Remember as kits when we-"

"Shh!" Dustpelt hissed at her, and turned back to Firestar. Holyleaf looked at the ground, sad that she didn't get to finish her question.

**It was only when the faint rustling behind him because a loud and fast-approaching leaf-crackle that Rusty realized he was in danger. The creature hit him like an explosion and Rusty was thrown sideways into a clump of nettles. **

A lot of cats gasped, except for Firestar, Graystripe, Bluestar, and Sandstorm. Graystripe because he was the one who attacked, Bluestar because she was there watching, and Sandstorm because she knew who the 'creature' really was.

**Twisting and yowling, he tried to throw off the attacker that had fastened itself to his back. It was gripping him with incredibly sharp claws. Rusty could feel spiked teeth pricking at his neck. he writhed and squirmed from whisker to tail but he couldn't free himself.**

"Oh no..." Princess whispered, a look of horror on her face.

**For a second he felt helpless; then he froze. Thinking fast, he flipped over onto his back. He knew instinctively how dangerous it was to expose his soft belly, but it was his only chance.**

"Extremely dangerous!" Blackstar told him.

**He was lucky-the ploy seemed to work. He heard a "hhuuffff" beneath him as the breath was knocked out of his attacker. Thrashing friercely, Rusty managed to wriggle free. Without looking back he sprinted toward his home.**

"You ran?" Squirrelflight asked.

"I would have just turned around and fought!" Lionblaze said, puffing out his chest proudly.

"Of course you would." Cinderheart licked his ear. "But that's only because you have-"

Bluestar cut in, "Don't say it! You will ruin the story later!"

"Oh, oops." Cinderheart ducked her head in embarrassment. "Sorry."

**behind him, a rush of paw steps told Rusty his attacker was giving chase. Even though the pain from his scratches stung beneath his fur, Rusty decided he would rather turn and fight then let himself be jumped on again.**

"Wait! Your hurt and you don't know what is chasing you, but you still turn and fight?" Leafpool asked, staring at her father like he was crazy.

"Well, yea." Firestar said it like it was no big deal.

Leafpool just sighed and shook her head. "Mousebrain." She muttered under her breath. Squirrelflight, who was sitting next to her, heard it and started laughing.

"I agree." Squirrelflight managed to get out while everyone stared at her, wondering what she was laughing at.

Firestar blinked then shook his head and continued the book.

**He skidded to a stop, spun around, and faced hi pursuer. It was another kitten, with a thick coat of shaggy gray fur, strong legs, and a broad face.**

"Graystripe?" Half the cats wondered aloud, and turned to look at him.

Graystipe just gave them all a cat-like grin and motioned for Firestar to read on.

**In a heartbeat, Rusty smelled that it was a tom and sensed the power in the sturdy shoulders underneath the soft coat. Then the kitten crashed into Rusty at full pelt. Taken by surprise by Rusty's turnabout, it fell back into a dazed heap.**

"I did not!" Graystripe shouted.

"Yea you did." Firestar and Bluestar said at the same time.

"You where there too?" Ravenpaw asked, looking over at his former leader.

She nodded. "Yes, I was. Just out of sight. Did you really think I would let a six moon old cat go alone out into the territory at night?"

"I guess not." Ravenpaw replied with a sigh.

**The impact knocked the breath out of Rusty, and he staggered. He quickly found his footing and ached his back, puffing out his orange fur, ready to string onto the other kitten. But his attacker simply sat up and began to lick a forepaw, all signs of aggression gone.**

Many of the cats either looked confused, started to laugh, or was disappointed that there wasn't going to be a fight.

"Yea, that's Graystripe." Sandstorm purred, while Silverstream nuzzled Graystripe playfully.

Graystripe let out an embarrassed purr.

**Rusty felt strangely disappointed.**

"So do I." Hawkfrost said. Brokenstar, Tigerstar, Lionblaze, Crowfeather, Breezepelt, and Blackstar nodded, agreeing.

Graystripe glared at them.

**Every part of him was tense, ready for battle. "Hi there, kittypet!" meowed the gray tom cheerily. "You put up quite a fight for a tame kitty!" Rusty remained on tiptoe for a second, wondering whether to attack anyway.**

"Why attack if he wasn't aggressive any more?" Stormfur asked.

Firestar shrugged.

**Then he remembered the strength he had felt in this kitten's paws when he had pinned him to the ground.**

"Stop calling me a kitten! I was six moons old at the time!" Graystripe whined.

"That's not full grown, so you still counted as one." Brokenstar pointed out.

**He dropped onto his pads, loosened his muscles, and let his spine unbend. "And I'll fight you again if I have to." He growled. "I'm Graypaw, by the way." The gray kitten went on, ignoring Rusty's threat. "I'm training to be a Thunderclan warrior."**

"Yea, with the way you acted, I would be surprised you even became one." Feathertial said jokingly.

"Hey!" Graystripe yelled, laying down on the ground as if to hide from all the stared he was getting.

**Rusty remained silent. He didn't understand what this Graywhatsit**

"I'm no Graywhatsit!" Graystripe shoot right back up into sitting position. He glared at Firestar as he continued.

**was meowing about, but he senced the treat ha passed. He hid his confusion by leaning down to lick him ruffled chest. "What's a kittypet like you doing out in the woods? Don't you know it's dangerous?" "If **_**you're **_**the most dangerous thing the woods has to offer, then I think I can handle it."**

"Ohh! Burn!" Breezepelt yowled.

Graystripe took his glare from Firestar to Breezepelt. He only looked away when Silverstream pressed against him.

"Oh, Graystripe is far from the most dangerous." Bumblestripe said. Graystripe whipped his head around to look at his son through narrowed eyes.

**Rusty bluffed. Graypaw looked up at him for a moment, narrowing his big yellow eyes. "Oh, I'm far from the most dangerous.**

This time everyone laughed, even the Graywhatsit managed to get a laugh from that.

**If I were even half a warrior, I'd have given an intruder like you some real wounds to think about."**

"Nice to know." Firestar commented, glancing up at his friend, before looking back down and reading again.

**Rusty felt a thrill of fear at these ominous words. What did this cat mean by "intruder"? "Anyway," meowed Graypaw, using his sharp teen to tug a clump of grass from between his claws, "I didn't think it was worth hurting you. You're obviously not from one of the other clans."**

"Obviously." Spottedleaf rolled her eyes.

**"Other clans?" Rusty echoed, confused.**

"How much do kittypets not know?" Tigerstar growled, sounding surprisingly angry. Ravenpaw glanced at him nervously.

"Most don't go into the forest." Bluestar told him.

"I know that." Tigerstar growled. "But you would expect them to at least have _heard _of the clans."

"A lot of the kittypets and loners we get at our clan don't know about the clan." Leafstar told him, Echosong nodded in agreement.

**Graypaw let out an impatient hiss. "You must have heard of the four great warrior clans that hunt around here! I belong to Thunderclan. The other clans are always trying to steal prey from our territory, especially Shadowclan.**

Everyone shot glanced at the Shadowclan cats.

"Hey! We are not that bad!" Tigerheart defended himself.

"Well, not any more." Tawnypelt looked at her paws. Sometimes she still regretted switching from Thunderclan to Shadowclan just because her father was there, but she knew this is where her loyalty would always lay.

_**Thery're **_**so fierce they would have ripped you to shreds, no questions asked."**

"True." Brokenstar nodded.

Tawnypelt and Tigerheart glanced over at him, looking as if they didn't agree.

**Graypaw paused to spit angrily and continued: "Thy come to take prey that is rightfully ours. It's the job of the Thunderclan warriors to keep them out of our territory. When I've finished my training, I'll be so dangerous, I'll have the other clans shaking in their flea-bitten skins. They won't dare come near us then!"**

"Yet they still did." Silverstream purred.

Graystripe growled, but not angrily. "You know all apprentices think that at one point or another."

**Rusty narrowed his eyes. This must be one of the wildcats Smudge had warned him about! Living rough in the woods, hunting and righting each other for every last scrap of food. Yet Rusty didn't feel scared. In fact, it was hard to admire this confident kitten.**

"Aww! You admire me!" Graystripe gasped, but Firestar kept reading, quickly moving on.

**"So you're not a warrior yet?" He asked. "Why? Did you think I was?" Graypaw purred loudly; then he shook his wide, furry head. "I won't be a real warrior for ages. I have to go through the training first. Kits have to be six moons old before they even _begin_****training. Tonight is my first night out as an apprentice."**

"When will you show up?" Hollyleaf asked Bluestar, annoyed that the Graypaw seemed to be all alone at night.

"In a little." Bluestar answered.

**"Why don't you find yourself an owner with a nice cozy house instead? Your life would be much easier." Rusty meowed. "There are plenty of housefolk who's take in a kitten like you. all you have to do is sit there where they can see you and look hungry for a couple of days-"**

A couple cats gasped at this. Why would Rusty even say that?

**"And they's feed me pellets that look like rabbit droppings and soft slop!" Graypaw interrupted. "No way! I can't think of anything worse then being a _kittypet_!**

"Well said." Tigerstar nodded. A few cats looked surprised that he said that, Graystripe included.

**They're nothing but Twoleg toys! Eating stuff that doesn't look like food, making dirt in a box of gravel, sticking their noses outside only when the Twolets allow them? That's no life! Out here it's wild, and it's free. We come and go as we please." He finished his speech with a proud spit, then meowed mischievously, "Until you've tasted a fresh-killed mouse, you haven't lived. Have you ever tasted mouse?"**

"That was a long speech." Half Moon said, tail twitching.

"Why did you have to spit at the end?" Cloudtail asked, speaking up for the first time in a long time.

Graystriped shrugged.

**"No." Rusty admitted, a little defensively. "Not yet."**

**"I guess you'll never understand." Graypaw sighed. "You weren't born wild. It makes a big difference. You need to be born with warrior blood in your veins, or the feel of the wind in your shickers. Kitties born into Twoleg nests could never feel the same way."**

"I take that all back." Graystripe said.

"I know you do." Firestar assured him.

**Rusty remembered the way he had felt in his dream. "That's not true!" he mewed indignantly. Graypaw did not reply. He suddenly stiffened midlick, one paw still raied, and sniffed the air. "I smell cats from my clan." He hissed. "You should go. They won't be please to find you hunting in our territory!"**

"Rusty is going get in trouble!" Cloudtail leaned forward excitedly.

**Rusty looked around, wondering how Graypaw knew any cat was approaching.**

"Sniff the air, duh." Mothwing said.

**He couldn't smell anything different on the leaf-scented breeze. But his fur stood on end at the note of urgency in Graypaw's voice.**

"Quick, run!" Dustpelt yelled.

**"Quick!" Hissed Graypaw again. "Run!"**

Everyone burst out in laughter. "You think like Graystripe!" Ravenpaw purred.

**Rusty pepared to spring into the bushes, not knowing which way was safe to jump. He was too late. A voice meowed behind him, firm and menacing, "What's going on here?"**

"Is it Tigerstar?" Princess asked, glancing over at the tom.

Tigerstar shook his head. "I wasn't out with them."

**Rusty turned to see a large gray she-cat strolling majestically out from the undergrowth. She was magnificent.**

"Thank you." Bluestar purred.

**White hairs streaked her mussel, and an ugly scar parted the fur across her shoulders, but her smooth fray coat shone like silver in the moonlight. "Bluestar!" Beside Rusty, Graypaw crouched down and narrowed his eyes. He crouched even lower when a second cat- a handsome, golden tabby -followed the gray cat into the clearing.**

"Lionheart!" Graystripe purred.

"Wait, did you just say handsome?" Sandstorm looked over at Firestar, with narrowed eyes.

"Remember, I didn't make this book." Firestar said in defense. "Twolegs did."

"Yea, but from your point of view." Tigerstar took the chance to embarrass his enemy.

Firestar quickly picked up the book and read on, not wanting to hear anymore.

**"You shouldn't be so near the Twoleg place, Graypaw!" growled the golden tabby angrily, narrowing his green eyes. "I know, Lionheart, I'm sorry." Graypaw looked down at his paws. Rusty copied Graypaw and crouched low to the forest flood, his ears twitching nervously.**

"Good thing you did." Ashfur said. Bluestar nodded in agreement.

**These cats had an air of strength he had never seen in any of his garden friends. Maybe what Smudge had warned him about was true. "Who is this?" Asked the she-cat. Rusty flinched as she turned her gaze on him. her piercing blue eyes made him feel even more vulnerable. "He's no threat." Mewed Graypaw quickly. "He's not another clan warrior, just a Twoleg pet from beyond our territories."**

"Not any more." Graystripe said.

**_Just a Twoleg pet! _The words inflamed Rusty, but he held his tongue. The warning look in Bluestar's star told him that she had observed the anger in his eyes, and he looked away. "This is Bluestar; she's _leader _of my clan!" Graypaw hissed to Rusty under his breath. "And Lionheart. He's my mentor, which means he's training me to be a warrior."**

"That wasn't really the right time to introduce each other, don't you think?" Dustpelt asked Graystripe. Graystripe just shrugged.

**"Thank you for the introduction Graypaw." meowed Lionheart coolly.**

**Bluestar was sill staring at Rusty, "You fight well for a Twoleg pet." she meowed. Rusty and Graypaw exchanged confused galnces. How could she know? "We have been watching you both."**

"Stalkers!" Dovewing suddenly yowled, making a few cats purr or laugh.

**Bluestar went on, as if she had read their thoughts. "We wondered how you would deal with an intruder, Graypaw. You attacked him bravely." Graypaw looked pleased at Bluestar's praise. "Sit up now, both of you!" Bluestar looked at Rusty." You too, Kittypet." He sat up immediately and help Bluestar's gaze evenly as she addressed him.**

"At least you listened then." Bluestar said. "You didn't always follow orders later on."

**"You reacted well to the attack, kittypet. Graypaw is stronger than you, but you used your wits to defend yourself. And you turned to face him when he chased you. I've not seen a kittypet do that before." Rusty managed to nod his thanks, taken aback by such unexpected praise.**

"I would have been shocked too." Hollyleaf murmured, getting nods of agreement.

**"I have been wondering how you would perform out here, beyond the Twolegplace. We patrol this border frequently, so I have often seen you sitting on your boundary, staring out into the forest. And now, at last, you have dated to place your paws here." Bluestar stared at Rusty thoughtfully. "You do seem to have a natural hunting ability. Sharp eyes. You would have caught that mouse if you had not hesitated so long."**

"It was the stupid fox." Leafstar disagreed, frowning.

"I think it's because he waited too long." Bluestar said, glancing over at the Skyclan leader. "But you have your own opinion, I have mine."

**Lionheart spoke up now. His deep meow was respectful but insistent, "Bluestar, this is a _kittypet_. He should not be hunting in Thunderclan territory. Send him home to his Twolegs!" Rusty prickled at Lionheart's dismissive words. "Send me home?"**

"Yea, that's what he said." Blackstar said. "You heard correctly."

**He mewed impatiently.** **Bluestar's words had made him glow with pride. She had noticed him; she had been impressed by him. "But I've only come here to hunt for a mouse of two. I'm sure there's enough to go around."**

At this, everyone gasped and a few threw insults at Firestar.

Firestar just stood here, looking a little upset at himself.

**Bluestar had turned her head to acknowledge Lionheart's words. Not her gaze snapped back to Rusty. Her blue eyes were blazing with anger. "There's never enough to go around." She spat. "If you didn't life such a soft, overfed life, you would know that."**

Silence fell over them and they all looked shocked at Bluestar. They knew this was true, but they never thought the leader would even yell at Firestar like that.

**Rusty was confused by Bluestar's sudden age, but one glance at he horrified look on Graypaw's face was enough to tell him he had spoken too freely. Lionheart stepped to his leader's side. Both warriors loomed over him now. Rusty looked into Bluestar's threatening stare and his pride dissolved. These were not cozy fireside cats he was dealing with- they where mean, hungry cats who were probably going to finish was Graypaw had started.**

"Chapter is finished!" Firestar exclaimed. After a minute of silence, Bramblestar noticed something.

"It's sunhigh!" All the cats looked around. Really? It's already sun high?

"Why don't we send out hunting patrols, and when we get back we can read more?" Bluestar suggested.

Bramblestar nodded in agreement. "Squirrelflight set up some border and hunting patrols, I'm going to go check and see how the dawn patrols have done."

* * *

**Oh. My. Starclan. That took forever to write. My hands hurt now... :( Please review.**

**(Wow, this was longer then I thought it was, and it was defiantly the longest chapter I have even written.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Alright everyone! Thanks for reading that last chapter. Sorry it was so long, but I can promise you, this chapter is shorter. But most of them are probably going to be long.**

**Mysterious- Um, yea. I think that would be okay. If you do, send me a link. I would like to read it. :)**

* * *

It was well after sun high when all the chosen cats sat down in a circle again. Squirrelflight had organized patrols (Even the other clans and out of clan cats helped with hunting), and when the patrols got back they all ate. Now they where all ready to read again.

"Who wants to read now?" Firestar asked, the book set in front of him.

"I want to!" Squirrelflight took the book excitedly from her father and flipped it open to the second chapter. "Alright, everyone ready?" She glanced around, tail twitching excitedly and eyes bright.

When she got her answer she started reading.

**"Well?" Hissed Bluestar, her face only a mouse-length from his now. Lionheart remained silent as he towered over Rusty.**

"Rusty is mouse-meat!" Cloudtail shook his head. Tigerstar laughed at that.

Firestar glared at Cloudtail, but didn't say anything.

**He flattened his ears and crouched under the golden warrior's cold stare. His fur prickled uncomfortably. "I am no threat to your clan." He mewed, looking down at his trembling paws.**

"You threaten the clan when you take their food." Mistystar meowed, looking over at Firestar.

**"You threaten our clan when you take our food." Yowled Bluestar.**

A few cats laughed at that. Bluestar and Mistystar shared a quick glance at each other, before both smiling. They where more alike then just in looks, I guess.

******"**You have plently of food in your Twoleg nest already. You come here only to hunt for sport. But we hunt to survive." The truth of the warrior queen's

"Queen?" Bluestar yowled and automatically stopped smiling. "What? I am no queen, I used to be, but at that time no. Leaders can't have kits."

Leafstar narrowed her eyes at Bluestar. "I had kits after I became leader. There is nothing in the code against it."

"Oh, you did?" Bluestar turned to look at her. "I'm sorry. And, I guess your right, there is nothing in the code against it. It's just that being in the nursery takes time away from work."

Leafstar nodded, "It does."

"How many kits do you have?" Sandstorm asked, she didn't know that Leafstar had had kits. "And who is your mate?"

"Three." Leafstar purred, "I have one son and two daughters. Their names are Harrykit, Stormkit, and Firekit." She glanced over at Firestar on the last one, and he grinned back. "My mate is Billystorm."

"Congratulations." Sandstorm purred.

"Harrykit? Billystorm? Those are odd names." Brokenstar said, narrowing his eyes.

"Skyclan is a lot different then here." Echosong said, "Now can we get back to reading?" Squirrelflight nodded, and looked back down at the book.

**words pireced Rusty like a blackthorn, and suddenly he understood her anger. He stopped trembling, sat up, and straightened his ears. He raised his eyes to meet hers. "I had not thought of it that way before. I am sorry." He meowed solemnly. "I will not hunt here again."**

"I was hoping you would apologize." Stormfur meowed, "I didn't want you to get hurt."

"I did." Tigerstar muttered under his breath. Hawkfrost heard his father and laughed.

**Bluestar let her hackles fall and signaled to Lionheart to step back. "You are an unusual kittypet, Rusty." she meowed.**

Graystripe let out a loud sigh of relief.

**Graypaw's sigh of relief**

A few cats laughed at this.

"You just did the same sigh. You were still afraid I was going to get mad at him again?" Bluestar asked, turning to Graystripe. "Even though that was a long time ago?"

Graystripe looked away. "Maybe a little."

**that made Rusty's ears twitch. He heard the approval in Bluestar's voice and noticed as she swapped a meaningful glance with Lionheart. The look made him curious. What flashed between the two warriors? Quietly he asked, "Is survival here really so hard?"**

"Yes!" Bluestar, Cloudtail, Tigerheart, Breezepelt, Ashfur, and Ravenpaw yowled at the same time. Everyone laughed at that.

Once everyone settled back down, Squirrelflight got the signal to continue reading.

**"Our territory covers only part of the forest." answered Bluestar. "We compete with other clans for what we have. And this year, late newleaf means prey is scarce."**

"I remember that season." Onestar said, glaring at Brokenstar "There was so little prey and that's why we where so weak when Shadowclan decided to-"

"Not now Onestar!" Tigerstar growled to the Windclan leader.

The youngest cats in the group looked over at Onestar with curious gazes. What was he about to say?

**"Is your clan very big?" Rusty meowed, his eyes wide. "Big enough," replied Bluestar. "Our territory can support us, but there is no prey left over." "Are you all warriors then?" Rusty mewed.**

"Some are warriors. Some are too young or too old or too busy caring for kits to hunt." Crowfeather answered this time. Bluestar grinned at him, and he looked confused. "What?"

**Lionheart answered him. "Some are warriors. Some are too young or too old or too busy caring for kits to hunt."**

"Oh." Crowfeather frowned. He was thinking like a Thunderclan cat he hadn't even met before? He didn't like that.

A few cats laughed, at least until Leafpool asked, "What is with everyone and knowing what cats in the book say before they really say it? It's starting to get annoying."

No cat answered.

**"And you all live and share prey together?" Rusty murmured in awe, thinking a little guiltily of his own easy, selfish life.**

"Yep." Cinderpelt said. "We do."

**Bluestar looked again at Lionheart. The golden tabby starred back at her steadily. At last she returned her gaze to Rusty and meowed, "Perhaps you should find out these things for yourself. Would you like to join Thunderclan?"**

"Did Lionheart know of the prophecy?" Ivypool asked.

"No. At least, I don't think so." Spottedleaf answered this one. "But he knew how much the clan needed more warriors, and understood what Bluestar was thinking."

Ivypool nodded slowly, "Okay."

**Rusty was so surprised, he couldn't speak.**

"I wouldn't be able to either." Half Moon said.

"Well, I was expecting him to agree right away." Tawnypelt said. Bramblestar nodded in agreement.

**Bluestar went on: "If you did, you would train with Graypaw to become a clan warrior." "But Kittypets can't be warriors!" Graypaw blurted out. "They don't have warrior blood!"**

"Blood doesn't matter! All that matters is on who the cat is, and whether or not they are willing to learn and work." Graystripe growled at the book, before noticing that he had growled at himself.

"You know you just growled at yourself, right?" Feathertail asked her father, who just nodded and looked away again.

**A sad look clouded Bluestar's eyes. "Warrior blood, " she echoed with a sigh. "Too much of that has been spilled lately." Blustar fell silent and Lionheart meowed, "Bluestar is only offering you training, young kit. There is no guarantee you would become a full warrior. It might prove too difficult for you. After all, you are used to a comfortable life."**

"Nothing is too difficult for Firestar!" Cinderpelt, Cloudtail, Bramblestar yowled at the same time.

Tigerstar snorted not believing it, and Firestar started to laugh at his former apprentices. How did all three of his former apprentices say that at the exact same time?

**Rusty was stung by Lionheart's words. He swung his head around to face the golden tabby. "Why offer me the chance, then?" But it was Bluestar who answered. "You are right to question our motives, young one. The fact is, Thunderclan needs more warriors."**

"And we still beat Shadowclan, even with only a few warriors." Firestar meowed, earning a growl from the former Shadowclan leader, Brokenstar.

**"Understand that Bluestar dose not make this offer lightly." Warned Lionheart. "If you wish to train with us, we will have to take you into our clan. You must either live with us and respect our ways, or return to your Twoleg place and never come back.**

"That's not how my clan works!" Leafstar said, sounding a bit proud. "We have our Daylight Warriors come and help the clan."

"What is _wrong_ with your clan?" Tigerstar asked, looking at her through narrowed eyes.

Firestar ignored him, but Leafstar glared at the tabby. Firestar asked, "Oh yea, the Daylight Warriors. How is that working out for your clan?"

"We have had some problems." Echosong answered, glancing over at her leader. "But other then those, the Daylight Warriors have been a great help. We will probably read about it. Right?" She turned to Bluestar.

Bluestar nodded, then turned to Squirrelflight, "Please continue."

**You cannot live with a paw in each world.**

Sandstorm glanced over at her mate, then pressed closer to him. She had always known that his Kittypet history made his an easy target to pick on sometimes, but she also knew that he would never give up his life in the clans.

**A cool breeze stirred the undergrowth, ruffling Rusty's fur. He shivered, not with cold, but with excitement at the incredible possibilities opening up in front of him.**

"Just join already!" Ashfur growled.

**"Are you wondering if it's worth giving up your Kittypet life?"**

"I would _never _go back." Firestar said, shaking his head.

"Me either." Leafstar, Graystripe, and Echosong agreed.

Princess just sat there next to Firestar awkwardly.

**Asked Bluestar gently. "But do you realize the price you will pay for your warmth and food?" Rusy looked at her, puzzled. Surely his encounter with these cats have proved to him just how easy and luxurious his life was.**

"I think that my life is better now." Firestar said.

**"I can tell your still a tom," Bluestar added. "Despite the Twoleg stench that clings to your fur." "****What do you mean **_**still **_**a tom?"**

"She means-" Dovewing started but was cut off.

"I think we all know what she means, Dovewing." Breezepelt interrupted. Dovewing growled but stopped when Squirrelflight quickly read on.

**"You haven't been taken by the Twolegs to the Cutter." Meowed Bluestar gravely. "Not quite so keen to fight a clan cat, I suspect!"**

"I have been attacked by Kittypets before." Graystripe's fur bristled angrily. "I lost the first time, then won the second time. The second time though, I had Millie with me."

Silverstream's pelt bristled a bit at Millie's name but Graystripe didn't notice. Graystripe turned to Spottedleaf and Bluestar. He asked, "Do I have a book about when I was gone?"

"Yes, three actually." Spottedleaf answered, then slowly added, "Well they aren't exactly books. They are mostly pictures and much fewer words then normal books. So, we can't read them in a group like this."

Graystripe only looked at the ground and said, "Oh."

"Sasha, Ravenpaw, Scourge, and Sol have those kind of books too." Bluestar said.

Ravenpaw smiled at that. Tigerstar looked up quickly at the mention of Sasha. Leafstar frowned at the name of Sol.

"Wait, Sol and Scourge both got stories?" Graystripe narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, they did." Spottedleaf said.

"Can we just read now?" Tigerheart and Blackstar asked at the same time.

Squirrelflight swallowed, then read.

**Rusty was confused. He suddenly thought of Henry, who had become fat and lazy since his visit to the vet. Was that what Bluestar meant by Cutter?**

"Yes!" Most cats yelled at the book.

**"The clan may not be able to offer you such easy food or warmth." Continued Bluestar. "In the season of leaf-bare, nights in the forest can be cruel. The clan will demand great loyalty and hard work. You will be expected to protect the clan with your life if necessary. And there are many mouths to feed. But the rewards are great. You will remain a tom. You will be trained in the ways of the wild. You will even learn what it is to be a real cat. The strength and fellowship of the clan will always be with you, even when you hunt alone."**

"Well said." Mothwing purred.

"Those are the best parts about being in a clan." Dustpelt nodded, agreeing.

**Rusty's head realed. Bluestar seemed to be offering him the life he had lived so many times, and so tantalizingly, in his dreams, but he could live like this for real?**

"Yes, you can live like that." Sandstorm answered the book.

"What does tantalizingly mean?" Ravenpaw asked.

"It means," Princess answered, "to arouse interest, or expectption, or desire."

**Lionheart interrupted his thoughts. "Come, Bluestar, let's not waist any more time here. Tigerclaw will wonder what has become of us." He stood up and flicked his tail.**

"You better agree now if you want to join." Jayfeather meowed.

**"Wait." Rusty meowed. "Can I think about your offer?" Bluestar looked at him for a long moment and nodded. "Lionheart will be here tomorrow at sunhigh." She told him. "Give him your answer then."**

"Join Thunderclan! Join Thunderclan! Join Thunderclan! Join Thunderclan!" Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze yowled. Dovewing and Ivypool quickly joined in happily.

Yellowfang hissed and covered her ears with her paws.

**Bluestar murmured a low signal, and in a single movement the three cats turned and disappeared into the undergrowth. Rusty blinked. He stared -excited, uncertain- up past the ferns the encircled him, through the canopy of leaves, to the stars that glittered in the clear sky. The scent of the clan cats still hung heavily in the evening air. And as Rusty turned and headed for home, he felt a strange sensation inside him, tugging him back into the depths of the forest. His fur prickled deliciously in the light wind, and the rustling leaves seemed to whisper his name into the shadows.**

"Done!" Squirrelflight purred, closing the book loudly.

Onestar glanced up at the sky. It was just starting to get dark. "I think we can fit in one more chapter."

"I agree." Blackstar meowed.

"My turn to read!" Dovewing purred loudly, and took the book from Squirrelflight. She quickly opened it to chapter three.


	4. Chapter 4

**This is so stupid. I had just gotten this finished, and the second before I whent to save it, the power flashed. The power was only out for 2 seconds, and when I went to check on the story, half of it was gone. This is so stupid! (I want to say other things but, you know... There are probably younger readers on here.)**

**HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS- That made me laugh. XD**

**Starpaw37- Um, yea. I guess so, but I am kind of planning to do the whole series if I can. Just send me a link, and please don't make it seem like this it was all your idea.**

**xXJayflightXx- Yea, I had a friend who just told me that. I added a little in here.**

* * *

Dovewing glanced down at the book and the read.

**That morning, as Rusty slept off his night's wanderings, the mouse dream came again, even more vivid then before.**

"What is with you and hunting dreams?" Ivypool asked Firestar.

Firestar shrugged. "I don't know, but I get them that much anymore."

**Free from his collar, beneath the moon, he stalked the timid creature. But this time he was aware he was being watched.**

"Creepy." Leafpool murmured.

**Shining from the shadows of the forest he saw dozens of yellow eyes. The clan cats had entered his dream world.**

"Sounds like Shadowclan." Lionblaze commented, making Cinderheart laugh.

"Hey!" Blackstar yowled. "It could have been anyone, not just us!"

Firestar laughed at that.

**Rusty woke, blinking in the bright sunlight that was streaming across the kitchen floor. His fur felt heavy and thick with warmth. His food bowl had been topped up, and his water bowl had been rinsed out and filled eith bitter-tasting Twoleg water.**

"Eww." Graystripe made a face. "I can't wait until you leave to be with the clan so that I don't have to remember what it was like being a Kittypet!"

**Rudty prefured drinking from puddles outside, but when it was hot, or he was very thirsty, he had to admit it was easier to lap up water indoors.**

"Lazy." Hawkfrost muttered.

"I heard that." Firestar growled, and Jayfeather's ears pricked and turned to Hawkfrost.

**Could he really abandon this comfortable life?**

"YES!" Everyone but Firestar shouted at the same time.

Firestar flattened his ears to his head. "You don't have to yell!" He yowled back.

**He ate, then pushed his way out of the cat flap into the garden. The day promised to be warm, and the garden was heavy with the smell of early blossoms. "Hello, Rusty!" Mewed a voice from the fence.**

"That is Smudge." Jayfeather said.

"How do you know?" Brokenstar asked, but got no answer.

**It was Smudge.**

"Told you." Jayfeather said smugly.

Blackstar glared at the blind medicine cat while Lionblaze and Hollyleaf laughed.

**"You should have been awake an hour ago. The baby sparrows where out stretching their wings."**

"I'm hungery again!" Cloudtail wailed. This time Onestar nodded in agreement.

Bramblestar licked his lips and glanced at Cloudtail. "Yum. I could get something to eat too."

"Did you catch any?" Ravenpaw asked the book.

**"Did you catch any?"**

Firestar purred at this and Ravenpaw looked away quickly. Most cats laughed.

**Smudge yawned and licked his nose. "Couldn't be bothered. I'd already eaten enough at home.**

"Stupid, lazy, Kittypets." Tigerstar said.

"Hey!" Princess yelled. "I can hear you!" She looked upset, so Cloudtail pressed closer to her.

"Don't worry about it." Cloudtail told her. He glared at the Dark Forest leader. "Tigerstar is just a big meanyhead."

Most cats looked at Cloudtail confused. Only a few cats here knew Princess, so a lot of cats where confused why Firestar and Cloudtail where so close to her.

"Did you just say 'meanyhead'?" Mistystar asked whiskers twitching.

"Yea! So what?" Cloudtail growled.

"I've only heard kits use that." Mistystar laughed.

Cloudtail growled and turned away from her. Princess licked his shoulder, trying to calm down her kit.

**Anywaye, why weren't _you _out earlier? Yesterday you were complaining about Henry sleeping his time away, and today you not much better yourself."**

"Did he forget that Rusty was out in the forest?" Stonefur asked.

"Probably." Mothwing agreed.

"For the last time... DON'T CALL ME RUSTY!" Firestar yowled, making everyone flinch.

"Oww." Jayfeather whimpered, bringing a paw over his ears a few times.

"Do you want me deaf?" Dovewing yelled, she had dropped the book and flattened her ears. "You know I that I have-"

"Shut it Dovewing!" Ivypool flicked her with her tail. "We will get to that in the books."

Dovewing grumbled and reached for the book.

"Sorry Dovewing." Firestar said, looking down at his paws. "Please continue reading."

**Rusty sat down on the cool earth beside the fence and curled his tail neatly over his front paws. "I was in the woods last night." He reminded his friend. At once he felt the blood stir in his veins and his fur stiffen.**

"The forest will do that to you." Squirrelflight sighed, remembering how excited she was to be home after the long journey to the sun-drown place. Bramblestar nodded in agreement.

**Smudge looked down at him. "Oh, yes, I forgot!**

"So he did forget." Blackstsr snorted.

**How was it?**

"Amazing." Firestar breathed.

**Did you catch anything? Or did something catch you?"**

"Well, if you count Graypaw, yes." Firestar answered the question.

Graystripe glared at him. "Hey, I found you first. And don't call me by my apprentice name."

**Rusty paused, not sure how to tell his friend what had happened. "I met some wild cats." He began. "What!" Smudge was clearly shocked. "Did you get into a fight?**

"Sort of." Half Moon meowed.

Firestar's whiskers twitched in amusement.

Cinderpelt saw it and asked, "What is it this time Firestar? If you said the same thing she just did, then I think I'm going to go crazy."

**"Sort of."**

"You're crazy." Hollyleaf purred.

Bramblestar, Cloudtail, and Onestar burst out with laughter. Even Jayfeather laughed. Jayfeather, laughed?

"Jayfeather, are you okay?" Lionblaze asked.

"Yea. Why wouldn't I be?" Jayfeather stopped laughing now, and turned to look at his brother with blind eyes.

"Because you where _laughing_!" Lionblaze exclaimed. All the cats laughed at this, but Jayfeather.

Jayfeather growled but just said, "Continue reading, Dovewing."

**Rusty could feel the energy surging through his body as he recalled the strength and power of the clan cats. "Were you hurt? What happened?"**

"It sounds like a kit asking an elder for a story." Bumblestripe said, glancing over Dovewing's shoulder to read what comes next. Dovewing gently pushed him away.

**Smudge prompted him eagerly. "There were three of them, bigger and stronger than any of us." "And you fought all three of them!" Smudge interrupted, tail twitching with excitement.**

"Mouse-brain!" Feathertail said aloud, earning a sharp glare from Silverstream and Graystripe. "It sounds like he wanted you to get hurt."

"Honestly, Firestar." Crowfeather shook his head from were he sat inbetween Breezepelt and Feathertail. "How can you be friends with that Kittypet?"

"Well, he wasn't my only friend..." Firestar said. "He just came around a lot."

"I wish I knew you lived so close by." Princess meowed. "I would have visited you."

"I know." Firestar told her gently. "But I didn't know that you were right there untill I became a mentor." Firestar flicked his tail at Cinderpelt, Princess just sighed.

**"No!" Rusty mewed hastily. "Just the youngest one; the other two came later." "How come they didn't shred you to pieces?"**

"Only Shadowclan would do that to a Kittypet." Sandstorm said, earning a glare from Blackstar, Yellowfang, Tigerheart, and Tawnypelt.

"I wouldn't shred him!" Tawnypelt protested.

"Me either." Tigerheart hissed.

"Well, back then yes, you would." Sandstorm said.

"I guess that's true..." Yellowfang trailed off, turning her glare to Brokenstar. Brokenstar pretended not to notice his mother's angrily glare.

**"They just wanted me to leave their territory. But then..." Rusty hesitated. "What!" Smudge mewee impatiently.**

"Spit it out, Firestar." Breezepelt sighed, also impatient. "It's not that hard."

**"They asked me to join their clan." Smudge's whiskers twitched disbelievingly.**

"Mine would too." Stonefur meowed. Ashfur nodded and meowed an agreement.

**"They did!" Rusty insisted. "Why would they do that?" "I don't know." Rusty admitted. "I think they need extra paws in their clan." "Sounds a bit odd to me." Smudge mewed doubtfully. "I wouldn't trust them if I were you."**

"Of couse you wouldn't." Bluestar rolled her eyes.

**Rusty looked at Smudge. His black-and-white friend had never shown any interest in venturing into the woods. He was perfectly content on living with his housefolk. He would never understand the restless longing that Rusty's dreams stirred in him night after night.**

Princess shook her head. "I don't understand either."

"That's one of the reasons you were invited to come here with us." Spottedleaf explained to Firestar's sister. "We are hoping you would understand more."

**"But I do trust them." Rusty purred softly. "And I've made up my mind.**

"Join Thunderclan! Join Thunderclan! Join Thunderclan! Join Thunderclan!" All cats yowled. All except for Firestar, Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, Brokenstar, and Breezepelt.

**I'm going to join them."**

The group started cheering for Firestar, even Blackstar and Princess joined in. Firestar started laughing at this.

Tigerstar and the other evil cats just sat there, looking at everyone as if they where crazy.

**Smudge scrambled down from the fence and stood in front of Rusty. "Please don't go, Rusty." He mewed in alarm. "I might never see you again."**

"Do you see him again?" Leafpool asked.

"Just wait and see." Firestar purred. Leafpool sighed loudly.

**Rusty nudged him affectionately with his head. "Don't worry. My housefolk will get another cat. You'll get along with him fine. You get along with everyone."**

"Not me." Tigerstar spat.

"Me either." Hawkfrost agreed.

"Do your housefolk get another cat?" Leafstar asked.

"Yes, they do actually." Firestar said. "What was her name again?" He asked, turning to Princess.

"Hattie!" Princess purred. "Her name was Hattie."

**"But it won't be the same!" Smudge wailed. Rusty twitched his tail impatiently. "That's just the point. If I stay around here they will take me to the Cutter, I wont be the same then either." "The Cutter?" He echoed.**

"The vet." Dustpelt sighed.

**"The vet." Rusty explained.**

A couple cats laughed at that. Dustpelt just stared at Firestar. Firestar stared back, whiskers twitching with amusement.

**"To be altered like Henry was." Smudge shrugged and stared down at his paws. "I mean, I know he's a bit lazier now, but he's not unhappy. We could still have fun."**

Yellowfang snorted. "Yea, right. How could you possibly be lazy, and have fun?"

**Rusty felt his heart fill with sadness at the thought of leaving his friend. "I'm sorry Smudge. I'll miss you, but I have to go."**

"You don't _have _to leave..." Tigerstar said, trying to sound persuasive, but not finding any good reasons for him leaving.

**Smudge didn't reply, but stepped forward and gently touched Rusty's nose with his own. "Fair enough. I can see that I can't stop you, but at least let's spend one more morning together."**

"He is still fat, and a mouse-brain, but he still seems like he was a pretty good friend." Stonefur said.

"He was." Firestar said, flicking his tail.

"And still is a good friend to me." Princess added.

**Rusty found himself enjoying the morning even more than usual, visiting his old haunts with Smudge, sharing words with the cats he had grown up with. Every one of his senses felt supercharged, as if he were poised before a huge jump. As sunhigh approached, Rusty became more and more impatient to see if Lionheart wouls really be waiting for him.**

"Of course Lionheart would be there!" Bluestar interrupted.

**The idle buzz of meows from his old friends seemed to fade into the background as all his scences atrained towards the woods.**

"I hope you weren't rude." Princess frowned.

"I wasn't." Firestar promised with a purr.

**Rusty jumped down from the garden fence for the last time and crept into the woods. He had said his good-byes to Smudge. Now all his thoughts where focused on the forest and the cats who live in it.**

"Dose Smudge come back?" Stormfur asked the ginger leader.

Firestar opened his mouth to say that they will find out later, but Jayfeather interrupted. "Yes, he does." Jayfeather answered Stormfur.

"How do you know?" Stormfur asked curiously, as other cats looked at the medicine cat suspiciously.

Jayfeather stiffened and shifted closer to Half Moon. Only a few cats knew of his power.

"You will find out later." Hollyleaf quickly meowed as Lionblaze ordered, "Read, Dovewing!"

**As he approached the spot where he had met the clan cats the night before, he sat and tasted the air. Tall trees shield the ground from the midday sunshine, making it comfortably cool. Here and there a patch of sunlight shone through a gap in the leaves and lit the forest floor. Rusty could smell the same cat-scent as last night, but had no idea if it was old or new.**

"Really?" Everyone said, turning to Firestar.

"You couldn't tell?" Jayfeather snorted.

"Even I would be able to." Princess added.

Firestar just flattened his ears and said, "Yea, well I was younger then! And I had no training!"

"I didn't have any training either, but I would still be able to tell." Princess mewed.

**He lifted his head and sniffed uncertainty. "You have a lot to learn." Meowed a deep voice.**

"Lionheart!" Every one cheered/sang.

**"Even the tiniest clan kit knows when another cat in near by." Rusty saw a pair of glowing green eyes glinting from beneath a bramble bush. Now he recognised the scent: It was Lionheart. "Can you tell if I'm alone?" Asked the golden tabby, stepping into the sunlight.**

"Your not alone." Jayfeather answered. "Some white cat is there too."

This time everyone who didn't know his secret looked at his either curiously or suspiciously, but no one spoke.

**Hastily, Rusty sniffed again. The scwnts of Bluestar and Graypaw where still there, bur not as strong as the previous night. Hesitantly he mewed, "Bluestar amd Graypaw aren't with you this time." "That's right." Meowed Lionheart. "But someone else is." Rusty stiffened as another cat strode into the clearing. "This is Whitestorm,**

"How did you know he was there?" Bumblestripe asked Jayfeather.

Jayfeather looked at him with blind eyes and answered, "You will find out later."

**one of Thunderclan's senior warriors." Rusty looked at the warrior and felt his spine tingle with cold fear.**

"You where afraid of him?" Bluestar asked.

"Yea." Firestar answered. "At the time I was, not anymore though."

**Was this a trap?**

"Of course not!" Onestar meowed.

**Long-bodied and muscular, Whitestorm stood in front of Rusty and gazed down at him. His white coat was thick and unmarked and his eyes where the yellow of sunbaked sand. Rusty flattened his ears wearily, and tensed his muscles in preparation for a fight. "Relax, before your fear scent brings unwanted attention." Growled Lionheart.**

"Like that fox you where following the other day?" Tigerheart asked, making Dovewing and Tawnypelt and a few others laugh.

**"We are here only to take you to our camp." Rusty sat very still, barely daring to breath, as Whitestorm stretched his nose forward and gave him a curious sniff. "Hello, young one." Murmured the white cat. "I've heard a lot about you."**

"Now _that_, is creepy. If I heard that from a stranger, I would literally pee myself right then and there, no matter if he/she saw me do it or not." Bumblestripe said, making everyone laugh.

"But then what would you do after you peed yourself?" Echosong questioned, whiskers twitching.

"Turn tail, and run like I had just saw Tigerstar." Bumblestripe answered. Tigerstar growled at that.

"I would too, if that happened to me." Tawnypelt agreed.

"Well, I didn't wet myself." Firestar said, glancing between the talking cats.

"Good." Half Moon said, "Now please read on Dovewing so that we can leave this awkward conversation."

**Rusty dipped his head in greeting. "Come, we can speak more once we are in the camp." Ordered Lionheart, and, without pausing, he and Whitestorm leapt away into the undergrowth. Rusty jumped to his paws and followed as quickly as he could. The two warriors made no allowances for Rusty as they sped through the forest, and before long he was struggling to keep up.**

"Why where they not slowing down?" Hawkfrost asked, frowning.

"Probably to see if he could keep up, or if he would give up quickly." Sandstorm answered, earning a nod from Firestar to say that she was correct.

**Their pace barely slowed as ****they led his over fallen trees that they cleared in a single leap, but which Rusty to scramble over paw by paw.**

"Oh!" Spottedleaf suddenly gasped. "Firestar, I almost forgot!"

"Almoust forgot what?" Firestar asked.

"Whitestorm wanted me to tell you that he is sorry for not slowing down." Spottedleaf said. "I just remembered."

"It's fine." Firestar answered, a slight purr to his voice. "He didn't have to slow down for me."

**They passed through sharply fragrant pine trees, where they had to jump accros deep gullies churned up by a Twoleg tree-eater.**

At this, everyone who made the journey to the lake shuddered. No one really wanted to remember how their territory was torn apart.

**From the safety of his garden fence, Rusty had often heard it roaring and snarling in the distance. One gully was too wide to jump, half-filled with slimy, foul smelling water.**

"Eww!" Everyone said at the exact same time.

**The clan cats waded through without hesitating. Rusty had never put a paw in water before. But he was determined not to show any signs of weakness, so he narrowed his eyes and followed trying to ignore the uncomfortable wetness that soaked his belly fur. At last Lionheart and Whitestorm paused. Rusty skidded to a halt behind them and stood panting while the two warriors stepped onto a rock that rested on the edge of a small ravine.**

"You ran all that way to camp at the age of six moons? And whent through that wster filled gully?" Squirrelflight sounded impressed.

"Couldn't you have just gone around the gully?" Bramblestar asked.

"Well, they led me through it, so I followed." Firestar answered. "And yes, Squirrelflight, I did."

**"We are very close to our camp now." Meowed Lionheart. Rusty strained to see any signs of life-moving leaves, a glimpse of fur among the bushes below, but his eyes saw nothing except the same undergrowth that covered the rest of the forest floor.**

"Use your nose. You might be able to scent it." Tigerstar growled.

**"Use your nose. You might be able to scent it." Hissed Whitestorm impatiently.**

A few cats laughed at that, but Tigerstar didn't seem to care.

**Rusty closed eyes and sniffed. Whitestorm was right. The scents here were very different from the cat-scent he was used to. The air smelled stronger, speaking of many, many different cats. He nodded thoughtfully and announced, "I smell cats."**

"_Really_?" Blackstar said with sarcasm. "I didn't know that!"

**Lionheart and Whitestorm exchanged amused looks. "There will come a time, if you accepted into the clan, when you will know each cat-scent by name." Lionheart meowed. "Follow me." He led the way nimbly down the boulders to the bottom of the ravine. Rusty followed, and Whitestorm took up the rear. As his sides scraped against the prickly gorse, Rusty looked down and noticed that the grass beneath his paws was flattened into a broad, strong-smelling track. This much be the main entrance into the camp, he thought.**

"Firestar," Ravenpaw sighed, "That's kind of obvious."

**Beyond the gorse, a clearing opened up. The ground at the center was dappled by sunshine, and the air felt warm and still. Rusty looked around, his eyes wide. There were cats everywhere, sitting alone or in groups, sharing food or purring quietly as they groomed each other. "Just after sunhigh, when the day is the hottest, is time for sharing tongues." Lionheart explained. "Sharing tongues?" Rusty echoed. **

"That's when-" Lionbalze was cut off.

"Everyone knows what it is, Lionblaze." Ivypool told him.

**"Clan cats always spend time grooming each other and sharing the news of the day." Whitestorm told him. "We call it sharing tongues. It is a custom that binds the members of the CLan together." The cats had obviously smelled Rusty's foreign scent, for heads began to turn and stare curiously in his direction. Suddenly shy of meeting any cat's gaze directly, Rusty looked around the clearing. It was edged with thick grass, and dotted with treestumps and a fallen tree. A thick curtain of fern and gorse shielded the camp from the rest of the woods.**

"That must be a great camp." Jayfeather said.

"How do you know? Your _blind_." Breezepelt said, dragging out the last word.

"I'm not as blind as you think." Jayfeather said flatly.

"Oh yea? So can you see this?" Breezepelt waved his tail in front of Jayfeather's face.

Jayfeather just snapped his jaws at it, missing by just an inch.

"Hey!" Breezepelt quickly pulled his tail away and tucked it tightly around his paws protectively. Everyone laughed at Breezepelt, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf falling over in the proses. Even Crowfeather had to laugh at his son. When Dovewing finally recovered she read on.

**"Over there." Meowed Lionheart, flicking his tail toward an impenetrable-looking tangle of brambles, "Is the nursery, where the kits are cared for." Rusty swiveled his ears toward the bushes. He couldn't see through the knot of prickly branches, but he could hear the mewling of several kittens from somewhere inside. As he watched, a ginger she-cat squirmed out through a small gap in the front. **

"That's Goldenflower." Sandstorm said to the cats who didn't know.

"Mom!" Bramblestar and Tawnypelt gasped at the same time. Tigerstar just started at the book silently.

**_That must be one of the queens, _Rusty thought. **

"Who else would that be?" Cloudtail rolled his eyes.

**A tabby queen with distinctive black markings appeared around the bramble bush. **

"Is that Brindleface or Speckletail?" Ravenpaw asked, not really remembering it well.

Dustpelt turned to Ravenpaw. "I think that's mom, Ravenpaw. You do remember Brindleface right?"

"Of course I do!" Ravenpaw exclaimed, looking a bit hurt that he would even suggest that Ravenpaw had forgotten their mother.

"Wait..." Firestar looked at them. "Your brothers?"

"Yes." Ravenpaw and Dustpelt meowed and turned to the ginger tom.

"I did not know that." Firestar said, looking between the two.

"Well, did you know that Spottedleaf is my aunt?" Sandstorm twitched her whiskers in amusement at her mate.

"No, I didn't know that either." Firestar shook his head quickly.

"Or did you know that me and Sandstorm both carry Skyclan blood?" Spottedleaf purred.

"You do?" Leafstar asked, surprised. Spottedleaf nodded, grinning.

"Alright, Dovewing. Back to the book." Blackstar said, wanting to hear the rest of the chapter.

**They two she-cats exchanged a friendly lick between the ears before the tabby slipped inside the nursery, murmuring to the squealing kits. "The care of our kits is shared by all of the queens." Meowed Lionheart. "All cats serve the Clan. Loyalty to the clan is the first law in our warrior code, a lesson you must learn quickly if you with to stay with us." "Here comes Bluestar." Meowed Whitestorm, sniffing the air. Rusty sniffed the air too, and was please that he was able to recognize the scent of the gray she-cat a moments before she appeared from the shadow of a large boulder that lay beside them at the head of the clearing. **

"Well, your sense of smell has gotten better." Half Moon meowed.

**"He came, " Bluestar purred, addressing the warriors. Whitestorm replied, "Lionheart was convinced he would not." Rusty noticed the tip of Blestar's tail twitch impatiently. "Well, what do you think of him?" She asked. "He kept up well on the return journey, despite his puny size." Whitestorm admitted. "he certainly seems strong for a Kittypet."**

Firestar purred at that.

**"So it is agreed?" Bluestar looked at LIonheart and Whitestorm. Both cats nodded. "Then I shall announce his arrival to the clan." Bluestar leaped onto the boulder and yowled, "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting." Her clear call brought all the cats trotting toward her, emerging like liquid shadows from the edges of the clearing. Rusty stayed where he was, flanked by Lionheart and Whitestorm. The other cats settled themselves below the Highrock and looked expectantly up at their leader. Rusty felt a rush of relief as he recognized Graypaw's thick gray fur among the cats. Beside him sat a young tortoiseshell queen, her black-tipped tail tucked neatly over small white paws. **

"That's me!" Spottedleaf squealed. When everyone looked over at her, she ducked her head and motioned for Dovewing to continue.

**A large dark gray tabby crouched behind them, the black striped on his fur looking like shadows on a moonlit forest floor. **

"Darkstripe." Tigerstar said without any emotion.

**When the cats were still, Bluestar spoke. "Thunderclan needs more warriors, " She began. "Never before have we had so few apprentices in training. It has been decided that Thunderclan will take in an outsider to train as a warrior..." Rusty heard indignant mutterings erupt among the clan cats, but Bluestar silenced them with a firm yowl. "I have found a cat who is willing to before an apprentice of Thnderclan." "_Lucky _to become an apprentice," caterwauled a loud voice about the ripple of shock that spread through the cats. Rusty craned his neck and saw a pale tabby cat standing up and glaring defiantly at the leader. **

"Who is that?" Ivypool asked.

"Longtail." Graystripe answered.

"_Longtail_?" Lionblaze gasped, getting a nod from Graystripe and Firestar.

**Bluestar ignored the tabby and addressed all of her Clan. "Lionheart and WHitestorm have met this young cat and they agree with me that we should train him with the other apprentices." Rusty looked up at Lionheart, then back at the CLan, to find all eyes were on him now. His fur prickled and he swallowed nervously. There was silence for a moment. Rusty was sure they must all be able to hear his heart pounding and smell his fear-scent. Now a deafening crescendo of caterwauling rose from the crowd. "Where does he come from?"**

"The Twoleg place!" Jayfeather growled. "Can you not smell it on his fur?"

**"Which clan dose he belong to?"**

"He doesn't belong to a clan!" Hollyleaf told the book.

**"What a strange scent he carries! That's not the scent of any clan _I _know!"**

"That's because..." Lionblaze trailed off, then shouted as loud as he can, "HE. IS. NOT. FROM. A CLAN!"

"Oww!" Cinderheart scooted away from her mate and closer to Bumblestripe, who was on the other side of her.

"Sorry." Lionblaze said, and actually sounded and looked like he meant it.

**Then one yowl in particular sounded out above the rest. "Look at his collar! He's a kittypet!" It was the pale tabby again. "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. This clan needs wildborn warriors to defend it, not another soft mouth to feed." **

"Was Longtail really that mean?" Dovewing stopped reading to ask.

"Yes, he was." Firestar sighed.

"Well, he is much nicer now." Ivypool said.

"When did he go blind?" Jayfeather asked.

Bluestar answers, "He goes blind in the first book about Skyclan, called Firestar's Quest."

"Sounds more about Firestar then Skyclan." Echosong said, sighing.

"No, your clan is in it." Bluestar assured her. "But the first book is Firestar's point of view. The second Skyclan book is in Leafstar's point of view." Leafstar purred at that.

"Alright, read on." Echosong flicked her tail.

**Lionheart bent down and hissed into Rusty's ear. "That tabby is Longtail. He smells your fear. THey all do. You must prove to him and the other cats that your fear won't hold you back." But Rusty couldn't move. How could he ever prove to these fierce cats that he wasn't just a kitypet? ****The tabby continued to jeer at him. **

"Do something!" Squirrelflight and Leafpool shouted at the same time at the book.

**"Your collar is a mark of the Twolegs, and that noisy jingling will make you a poor hunter at best. At worst, it will bring the Twolegs into out territory, looking for the poor lost kittypet who kills the woods with his pitiful tinkling." All the cats howled in agreement. Longtail went on, well aware that he had the support of his audience. "The noise of your treacherous bell will alert out enemies, even if your Twoleg _stench _doesn't!" Lionheart hissed into Rusty's ear once more: "Do you back down from a challenge?" Rusty still did not move. **

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Blackstar, Lionblaze, Ivypool, Crowfeather, Breezepelt, Brokenstar, Hawkfrost, and for some reason Yellowfang joined in the chanting.

**But this time he was trying to pin-point Longtail's position. There he was, just behind a dusky brown queen. **

"Mousefur?" Bumblestripe guessed.

"Yep." Firestar nodded.

**Rusty flattened his ears, narrowed his eyes and, hissing, leaped through the startled cats to fling himself onto his tormentor.**

"YAY!" Everyone cheered.

** L****ongtail was completely unprepared for Rusty's attack. He staggered sideways, losing his footing on the hard-backed earth. Filled with rage and desperate to prove himself, Rusty dug his deep into the tabby cat's fur and sank in his teeth. He subtle rituals of swiping and boxing preceded this fight. The two cats were locked in a screaming, writhing tussle that flipped and somersaulted around the clearing in the heart of the camp. The other cats had to spring out of the way to avoid the screeching whirlwind of fur. **

"You almost ran me over!" Sandstorm spat.

"You flattened my tail in that fight." Dustpelt hissed.

"Sorry." Firestar ducked his head.

**Then Rusty felt his collar tighten around his neck. Longtail had gripped it between his teeth and was tugging, and tugging hard. Rusty felt a terrible pressure on his throat. Unable to breath, he stared to panic. He writhed and twisted, but each movement only made the pressure worse. **

"Oh! That's why you started twisting like that!" Graystripe said, understanding now.

**Retching and gulping for air, he summoned up all his strength and tried to pull away from Longtail's grip. And suddenly, with a loud snap, he was free. **

"Did your collar break?" Bramblestar asked.

"Yes, it did." Firestar answered his question.

**Longtail tumbled away from him. Rusty scrambled to his paws and looked around. Longtail was crouching three tail-lengths away. And, dangling from Longtail's mouth, Rusty saw his collar, mangled and broken. At once, Bluestar leaped down from the Highrock and silenced the noisy crow with a thunderous caterwaul. Rusty and Longtail remained fixed to the spot, gasping for breath. Clumps of fur hung from their ruffled coats. Rusty could feel a cut stinging above his eyes. Longtail's left ear was badly torn, and blood dripped down his lean shoulders onto the dusty ground. **

"Oh! That's how he got that torn ear!" Cloudtail said in an angry voice. "He never told me how he got it, no matter how many times I asked."

**They started at each other, their hostility not yet spent. Bluestar stepped forward and took the collar from Longtail. She placed it on the ground in front of her and meowed, "The newcomer has lost his Twoleg collar in a battle for his honor. Starclan has spoken its approval- this cat has been released from the hold of his Twoleg owners, and is free to join Thunderclan as an apprentice." Rusty looked at Bluestar and solemnly nodded his acceptance. He stood up and stepped forward into a shaft of sunshine, welcoming the warmth on his sore muscles. The pool of light blazed bright on his orange pelt, making his fur glow.**

"Show off." Dustpelt muttered under his breath. Dovewing glanced up at him, hearing it, but didn't say anything. She just continued reading.

** Rusty lifted his head proudly and looked at the cats that surrounded him. This time no cat argued or jeered. He had shown himself to be a worthy opponent in battle. Bluestar approached Rusty and placed the shredded collar on the ground in front of him. She touched his ear gently with her nose. "You look like a brand of fire in this sunlight." She murmured. Her eyes flashed briefly, as if her words had more meaning for her than Rusty knew. "You have fought well." Then she turned to the Clan and announced, "From his day forward, until her has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw, in honor of his flame-colored coat." **

"What's your warrior name?" Breezepelt asked.

"Oh! Oh! Let me guess!" Bumblestripe looked oddly excited. "Umm... Fire... Fire... Fireclaw?"

"Nope." Firestar told him.

"Firepelt?" Bumblestripe guessed again.

"No." Firestar shook his head.

"Fur?"

"No."

"Storm?"

"Not that either."

"Firerain?"

"RAIN?" Everyone asked/shouted.

"Where did you get the rain part from?" Dovewing laughed. Bumblestripe shrugged and looked at his paws.

Bluestar laughed, "If you can't guess his warrior name, then you will have to wait till the end of the book to find out."

At this everyone who didn't know his Warrior name groaned or sighed loudly.

**She stepped back and, with the other cats, waited silently for his next move. Without hesitating, Rusty turned and kicked dust and grass over his collar as though burying his dirt. Longtail growled and limped out of the clearing toward a fern-shaded corner.**

"That would be the medicine cat den." Yellowfang told the cats who didn't know the camp.

** The cats split into groups, murmuring to each other excitedly. "Hey Firepaw!" Rusty heard Graypaw's friendly voice behind him. _Firepaw! _A thrill of pride surged through him at the sound of his new name. He turned to greet the gray apprentice with a welcoming sniff. "Great fight, Firepaw!" mewed Graypaw. "Especially for a Kittypet! Longtail is a warrior, although he only finished his training two moons ago. That scar you left on his ear won't let him forget you in a hurry. You've spoiled his good looks, that's for sure." **

Cloudtail, Bramblestar, and Onestar all laughed at that.

**"Thanks, Graypaw." Firepaw replied. "He put up quite a fight, though!" He licked his front paw and began to wipe clean the seep scratch that stung above his eyes. As he washed he heard his new name again, echoing among the meowed of the cats. "Firepaw!" "Hey, Firepaw!" "Welcome, young Firepaw!" Firepaw closed his eyes for a moment and let the voiced wash over him. "Good name, too!" Graypaw mewed approvingly, jolting him awake. Firepaw looked around. "Where did Longtail creep off to?" "I think he was heading toward Spottedleaf's den." Graypaw tipped his head toward the fern-enclosed corner Longtail had disappeared into. "She's our medicine cat. Now bad-looking either. Younger and a lot prettier then most-" **

"Graystripe!" Silverstream gasped, cuffing him over the ear with her paw. Spottedleaf ducked her head, embarrassed.

"Hey!" Graystripe ducked away. "Firestar's the one with the crush, not me!" Everyone turned to look curiously at Firestar.

"What?" Sandstorm and Firestar yowled at the same time.

"I do not!" Firestar yelled at his friend, sounding a little kit-like. Sandstorm didn't know who to glare at, Graystripe, Firestar, or Spottedleaf. So she settled at glaring at the ground.

"Sandstorm, we have been over this before, I only love you." Firestar turned to Sandstorm, getting tired of having this conversation again.

"I know." Sandstorm sighed, but still glared at the ground. "Continue reading, Dovewing." She murmured with a flick of her tail.

**A loud yowl next to the two cats stopped Graypaw midspeech. They both turned, and Firepaw recognized the powerful gray tabby cat who had sat behind Graypaw earlier. "Darkstripe," mewoed Graypaw, nodding his head respectfully. THe sleek tom loked at Firepaw for a moment. "Lusky your collar snapped when it did. Longtail is a young warrior, but I can't imagine him being beaten by a Kittypet!" **

"Neither could I." Tigerstar agreed with the book.

**he spat the word ****_Kittypet _scornfully, then turned and stalked off. "Now Darkstripe, " Graypaw hissed to Firepaw under his breath, "Is neither young, nor pretty..." **

Everyone burst out laughing at this.

"That was not nice, Graystripe!" Silverstream cuffed him over the ear again.

"Well, it's true!" Graystripe said, ducking away to avoid the pain. He had been ready that time.

**Firepaw was about to agree with his new friend when he was interrupted by a warning yowl from an old gray cat sitting at the edge of the clearing. "Smallear smells trouble!" Graypaw meowed, immediately alert.**

"Oh, here it comes..." Bluestar sighed, earning curious looks from the cat's who wasn't there.

**Firepaw barely had time to look around before a young cat crashed through the bushes and into the camp. He was skinny and- apart from the white tip of his long, thin tail- jet black from head to toe.**

"That's me!" Ravenpaw purred, then glanced over at Firestar. "You said I only had white on my tail tip. I have white on my chest to!"

"The was the Twoleg's fault, not mine." Firestar told his friend calmly.

**Graypaw gasped. "That's Ravenpaw! Why is he alone! Where's Tigerclaw?" Firepaw looked at Ravenpaw staggered across the floor of the clearing. He was panting badly. His coat was ruffled and dusty, and his eyes were wild with fear. **

"Did I really look that bad?" Ravenpaw asked.

Firestar, Graystripe, Sandstrom, and Dustpelt nodded.

**"Who are Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw?" Firepaw whispered to Graypaw, as several other cats raced past to greet the new arrival. "Ravenpaw's an apprentice. Tigerclaw's his mentor." Graypaw explained quickly. "Ravenpaw went out with Tigerclaw and Redtail at sunrise on a mission against Riverclan, the lucky furball!"**

"L-Lucky?" Ravenpaw gasped. "I didn't feel lucky!"

Tigerclaw laughed at that. Ravenpaw turned to glare at the Dark Forest leader, but still couldn't help but feel fear when he saw the large tabby.

**"Redtail?" Firepaw echoed, thoroughly confused by all these names. "Bluestar's deputy." Hissed Graypaw. "But why on earth has Ravenpaw come back alone?" He added to himself. He lifted his head to listen as Bluestar stepped forward. "Ravenpaw?" The she-cat spoke calmly, but a look of worry clouded her blue eyes. The other cats drew back, curling their lips with anxiety. "What has happened?"**

The cat's who where not there, leaned forward, eager and impatient to hear the answer.

**Bluestar jumped onto the Highrock and looked down at the trembling cat. "Speak Ravenpaw!" Ravenpaw was still struggling for breath, and his sides heaved fitfully while the dust around him turned red with blood, but still he managed to scramble up onto the Highrock and stand beside Bluestar. He turned to the crowd of eager faces that surrounded him, and summoned enough breath to declare, "Redtail is dead!"  
**

"Wow, I was not expecting that." Lionblaze said, eyes wide.

"Me either." Cinderheart shook her head.

"Is that the end of the chapter?" Brokenstar asked.

"Yep." Dovewing closed the book and pushed it away from her. "It is."

Cloudtail groaned. "What? That was a horrible way the end a chapter!"

Cinderpelt yawned. "Well, it's getting late. I think we should all sleep now. We can read in the morning."

Cats nodded and murmured agreement, but many still grumbled and protested, saying that it was a terrible place to stop at.

Blackstar stood and stretched his legs. "Were are we sleeping?" He asked Bramblestar.

Bramblestar glanced at Firestar, then Squirrelflight. "Umm... I don't know."

* * *

**Well, there we go. :) Next chapter will be up soon, I hope.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello yet again, everyone. I forgot to tell you all that in this story, there are only certain cats who know about the 3's powers. (Jay, Lion, and Dove) So, most cats will be confused if any of the powers are used, but some cats know and will understand.**

**Oww, I have a headache... Good thing I'm getting new glasses soon! I hope...**

**Lakestream- Haha, I was wondering what that was about. Don't worry, I have a weird little brother too. :)**

**HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS- Haha, I would give that a 7 or 8. :)**

* * *

All the cats gathered in the morning again, all up early to hear what comes next in the story.

"Alright, who's reading now?" Spottedleaf asked, setting the book at her paws.

"Me, I want to." Sandstorm took the book from the Starclan medicine cat, and flipped it open to the fourth chapter. Firestar settled down next to her and curled his tail around her's. On the other side Squirrelflight sat, looking excitedly at the book.

Sandstorm opened her mouth, but was cut off by four cats entering the camp, two side by side, and the other two was close behind.

Multiple cats gasped. It was Redtail, Oakheart, Whitestorm, and Longtail!

Sandstorm and Bluestar jumped up to greet them.

Sandstorm purred, touching noses with Redtail (Her dad), then mewed a greeting to him. Bluestar licked Oakheart over the ear warmly and whispered something quietly to him.

The third cat, Whitestorm stood to the side silently watching Sandstorm. When Sandstorm was finished greeting Redtail, she walked over to Whitestorm, her mentor. She touched noses with him too, and then led both Redtail and Whitestorm over to the group.

Bluestar led Oakheart over to the group. Sandstorm sat back down, Firestar on her right, and Redtail on her left. Whitestorm settled down by Cloudtail, curling his tail neatly over his paws.

Longtail, the cat last cat, walked over to the group and sat down in the big circle.

"Who are they?" Ivypool asked, confused.

"That is Whitestorm." Spottedleaf answered, pointing her tail at him. "And that is Redtail, and Oakheart. And for the few cats who don't know, that is Longtail." Spottedleaf paused, then added. "Redtail, Whitestorm, and Oakheart will be with us, reading the books, but they have chosen to only stay for this Arc. When we reach the second series, they will be leaving. But we are not sure when Longtail will be leaving, or if he will stay through the whole series."

"Can we just read now?" Yellowfang asked, annoyed.

"No." Spottedleaf said, "We still have another cat to join us."

"Who?" Dovewing asked. How many cats would be joining them in reading the books?

Spottedleaf turned to Cloudtail, "Would you please go get Brightheart?" She asked.

"Is she reading the books with us?" Cloudtail asked, standing up and stretching.

"Yes, she is." Spottedleaf answered. "If she wants to, she can be here for all the books."

"Great!" Cloudtail took off toward where Brightheart lay in the nursery with their three kits. He quickly return with his mate. Brightheart purred and sat down between Cloudtail and Whitestorm, her former mentor.

"It's good to see you again, Brightheart." Whitestorm purred, licking her ear.

"You too." Brightheart purred back, and curled her tail around Cloudtail's.

"Okay, lets start." Oakheart spoke up. "What part are we at?"

"Um, Rusty just came to the clan, fought with Longtail, and became Firepaw." Spottedleaf said. "Then Ravenpaw came in and just announced that Redtail is dead." Redtail sighed loudly, looking at his paws.

**Shocked yowls rose from the Clan cats and echoed through the forest.**

"Oh, that's what that was!" Mistystar laughed. "We heard that in the Riverclan camp, but didn't know what it was."

**Ravenpaw staggered slightly. His right foreleg glistened, wet with blood that flowed from the deep gash on his shoulder. **

"Help him!" Hollyleaf gasped, a look of horror and disgust on her face.

**"We m-met five Riverclan warriors beside the stream, not far from the Sunningrocks," he went on shakily. "Oakheart was among then."**

"What is so special about Oakheart?" Breezepelt asked. "I haven't even heard that until today."

Mistystar, Bluestar, Firestar, Redtail, Silverstream, Graystripe, Sandstorm, Whitestorm, and Dustpelt stopped and glared at him. Mistystar and Bluestar the hardest, Oakheart just looked a shocked.

"Hey!" Oakheart yowled, now angery.

"What?" Breezepelt looked at all of them with widened eyes. "It was just a question."

"It will have to answer your question in the book." Hollyleaf said, glancing at the angry cats nervously.

**"Oakheart!" Graypaw gasped beside Firepaw. "He is the deputy of Riverclan. He's one of the greatest warriors in the forest.**

"Oh." Breezepelt understood now. Oakheart watched him though narrowed eyes.

"Well, _I'm _one of the greatest warriors around the _lake_." Lionblaze purred, chin raised proudly.

"Yes, and you would be even better if you didn't show off all the time, and tell everyone that you are the best." Whitestorm said.

Lionblaze acted as if he hadn't heard.

"Anyways, Firestar is the best." Graystripe told them all. Firestar purred at that.

**Lucky Ravenpaw!**

"I was not lucky!" Ravenpaw yelled again, eyes wide.

"Well, I know that now!" Graystripe yelled back, rolling his eyes.

**Wish it could have been me. I'd have really-" Graypaw was silenced by a fierce glare from the old gray tom who had first scesed Ravenpaw's return. **

"Thank you, Smallear!" Yellowfang yowled cheerfully, looking up at the sky. Graystripe let out a fake angry growl.

**Firepaw turned his attention back to Ravenpaw. "Redtail warned Oakheart to keep his hunting parties out or Thunderclan territory. He said the next Riverclan warrior to be caught in Thunderclan territory would be killed, but Oak... Oakheart would not back down. He said his Cl-Clan had to be fed, whatever we threatened." Ravenpaw paused to wheeze for breath.**

"Where is the medicine cat during all of this?" Ivypool asked, looking over at Spottedleaf.

"In the my den, fixing Longtail's ear." Spottedleaf ducked her head in an embarrassed way.

Longtail flicked his ear with the V-shaped nick when a few cats glanced over at him. He still remembered that fight.

**His wounds was still bleeding heavily, and he stood awkwardly to keep the weight off his shoulder.**

"Help him, someone!" Leafpool gasped, eyes wide.

**"That's when the Riverclan cats attacked. It was hard to see what was happening. The fighting was vicious. I saw Oakheart had Redtail pinned to the ground, but then Redtail..." Suddenly Ravenpaw's eyes rolled in his head and he lurched sideways. Half scrambling, half falling, he slithered off the Highrock and collapsed on the ground below.**

Most cats winced or flinched that that.

"Oww... That's gotta hurt!" Cinderpelt looked over at the small black and white tom.

"It did." Ravenpaw sighed at the memory.

**A ginger queen bounded toward him and crouched at his side. She licked his cheek briefly and called out, "Spottedleaf!" Out of the fern-shaded corner trotted the pretty tortoiuseshell Firepaw had noticed sitting beside Graypaw earlier. **

"Now you admit she was pretty?" Graystripe asked.

"Shut up!" Firestar yowled. "Silverstream, please hit him again."

Silverstream purred softly and flicked Graystripe's ear with her tail.

**She huried over to Ravenpaw and mewed for the queen to stand back. Then she used her small pink nose to roll the apprentice over so that she could take a good look at the wound. She glanced up and meowed, "It's all right, Goldenflower, his wounds aren't fatal. But I'll need to fetch cobwebs to stop the bleeding."**

Princess let out a sigh of relief. She had been holding her breath.

"No herbs or anything?" Jayfeather frowned. "I would have added _something _then just cob webs."

"I didn't want to use anymore then what was needed." Spottedleaf told him.

**As Spottedleaf sprinted back to her den, the hushed silence in the clearing was broken by a mournful howl. All eyes turned on the direction it came from. A massive dark brown tabby staggered through the gorse tunnel.**

"Tigerstar?" Ashfur guessed. He had only been a newborn at the time and didn't remember this.

"Tiger_claw_. At the time." Tigerstar told him. "But yes. That was me."

Bramblestar shook his head. "I still don't know what Goldenflower saw in him." Tigerstar snarled at him.

**Between his sharp teeth the warrior held not prey, but the lifeless body of another cat. He dragged the tattered creature into the center of the clearing. Firepaw craned his neck and glimpsed a flash of bright ginger tail hanging limply in the dust.**

"Is that Redtail?" Half Moon asked.

"Yes, it is. Me." Redtail looked at his paws, and Sandstorm pressed up against him to comfort him.

**Shock rippled through the clan like a chill breeze. Beside Firepaw, Graypaw dropped into a crouch as grief swept over him. "Redtail!" "How did this happen, Tigerclaw?" Demanded Bluestar from her position on the Highrock. Tigerclaw let the scruff of Redtail's neck fall from his mouth. He looked steadily back at Bluestar. "He died with honor, struck down by Oakheart.**

Bluestar snorted and Redtail glared at Tigerstar.

"Oakheart would never kill, not even in battle." Silverstream defended the former deputy. Oakheart frowned at Tigerstar and shook his head slowly.

Firestar opened his mouth to call Tigerstar a lier, but Sandstorm read before he could say it.

**I couldn't save him, but I managed to take Oakheart's life while he was still gloating over his victory." Tigerclaw's voice was strong and deep. "Redtail's death was not in vain, for I debout we'll see Riverclan hunters in our territory again."**

"Gloating?!" Oakheart gasped. "No!"

Firestar growled, glaring at the evil tabby leader. He opened his mouth but was again interrupted, this time by Yellowfang.

"Firestar, don't say something that would give anything away." Yellowfang reminded him.

Firestar closed his jaws quickly, deciding not to say anything.

**Firepaw glanced at Graypaw. The apprentice's eyes were dark with sadness.**

"Is it me, or was everyone like, 'Welcome to the clan, Rusty! Now, look at this dead cat who you don't even know!'?" Lionblaze asked. A few cats laughed, smiled, or nodded in agreement.

Redtail just glared at the ground, wondering why he even came to this.

**After a moment's pause, several of the cats moved forward to lick Redtail's bedraggled fur. As they groomed they purred hushed phrases to the dead warrior. Firepaw whispered into Graypaw's ear, "What are they doing?" **

"They are sharing tounges with Redtail for the last time." Mothwing answered the book.

**Graypaw didn't take his eyes off the dead cat as he replied. "His spirit may have left to join Starclan, but the clan will share tounges with Redtail one last time." "Starclan?" Firepaw echoed.**

Lionblaze opened his mouth to talk but Jayfeather cut him off. "We all know what Starclan is, Lionblaze. We don't need you to explain." Lionblaze silently pouted next to Cinderheart.

**"It's the tribe of heavenly warriors that watches over all the Clan cats. You can see them in SIlverpelt." Firepaw looked confused, so Grayapw explained. "Silverpelt is that thick band of stars you see each night stretching across the sky. Each star is a Starclan warrior. Redtail will be among them tonight."**

"You didn't know what Silverpelt is?" Dustpelt snorted.

"Yes I did!" Firestar said defensively. "It's just that Kittypets don't call it Silverpelt, so, yea."

**Firepaw nodded, and Graypaw stepped forward to share tongues with his dead deputy. Bluestar had remained silent while the first cats came to pay their respects to Redtail. Now she leaped down from the Highrock and walked slowly toward Redtail's body. The other cats retreated and watched as their leader crouched down to share tongues with her old comrade one last time.**

"I like how you called him comrade." Princess said, nodding.

**When she had finished she raised her head and spoke. Her voice was low and thick with grief, and the Clan listened in silence. "Redtial was a brave warrior. His loyalty to Thunderclan could never be doubted. I always relied on his judgment, for it wore witness to the needs of the Clan, and was never swayed by self-interest or pride. He would have made a fine leader."**

"Thank you." Redtail purred to his former leader.

**Then she lowered herself onto her belly, her head bowed, her paws stretched neatly before her, and silently she grieved for her lost friend. Several other cats came and lay down beside her, their bowed heads and hunched backs echoing her mournful pose. Firepaw watched. He had not known Redtail, but he couldn't help feeling moved as he witnessed the Clan mourn. Graypaw came and stood beside him again. "Dustpaw will be sad." He remarked.**

"I was sad." Dustpelt sighed.

"Sorry I wasn't there to finish your training." Redtail told him. "And I'm sorry you had to have Darkstripe as a mentor. But, I did watch as you and Sandstorm became warriors."

"You did?" Dustpelt asked.

"Yes I did, and you two became great warriors."

"Thanks." Sandstorm and Dustpelt purred at the same time.

**"Dustpaw?" "Redtail's apprentice. That brown-striped tabby over there. I wonder who his new mentor will be?" Firepaw glanced over at the small tom who squatted near Redtail's body, staring unseeing at the ground. Firepaw looked past him to the Clan leader. "How long will BLuestar sit with him?" He asked.**

"Probably the whole night." Bumblestripe answered.

**"Probably the whole night." Replied Graypaw.**

"I guess you do think like your father." Sandstorm purred to Bumblestripe while Graystipe laughed. Bumblestripe just frowned.

**"Redtail was her deputy for many, many moons. She won't want to let him go too quickly. He was one of the best warriors. Not as big and powerful as Tigerclaw or Lionheart, but quick and clever." Firepaw looked at Tigerclaw, admiring the strength that swelled in his powerful muscled and broad head.**

"Admiring?" Tigerstar's whiskers twitched.

"Well, at the time I didn't know that you are evil!" Firestar growled.

** Hismassive body showed signs of his warrior life. One of his ears was split into a deep vee shape, and a thick scar sliced the bridge of his nose. Suddenly Tigerclaw stood up and stalked over to Ravenpaw. Spottedleaf was crouched beside Tigerclaw's wounded apprentice, using her teeth and front paws to press wads of cobweb onto his shoulder wound. Firepaw leaned toward Graypaw and asked, "What's Spottedleaf doing?"**

"Stopping the bleeding, duh." Dustpelt told him. "What else would she be doing?" Firestar glared at him.

**"Stopping the bleeding. It looked like a nasty cut. And Ravenpaw seemed really shaken up. He's always been a bit jumpy, but I've never seen his this bad before. Let's go and see if he's woken up yet." **

"He's only been jumpy since he got Tigerclaw as a mentor!" Dustpelt spat.

"Sorry about that, Ravenpaw." Bluestar told Ravenpaw.

"Heh, uh... don't- don't worry about it." Ravenpaw gave her a small smile. "I'm fine now and that's all that matters."

**They made their way through the grieving cats toward the spot where Ravenpaw lay and settled themselves a respectful distance away to wait until Tigerclaw had finished speaking. "So, Spottedleaf." Tigerclaw addressed the tortoiseshell with a confident meow. "How is he? Do you think you can save him? I've spent a lot of time training him up, and I don't want my efforts to be wasted at the first battle."**

"Yea, like you would care if I survived or not." Ravenpaw said softly, staring at his paws and avoiding Tigerstar's amber gaze.

"No, I wouldn't care." Tigerstar lifted his chin, almoust in a proud way.

Whitestorm shook his head at Tigerstar, "What happened to the cat I grew up with, Tigerstar?"

"I blame it on Pinestar and Thistleclaw." Bluestar told Whitestorm.

"Pinestar was weak, he _wanted_ to live a Kittypet life the whole time!" Tigerstar growled. "Thistleclaw _wasn't_ weak, he knew what it took to get to the top, he explained to me that _only_ through strength and power you will get what you want. He made me into the best warrior in the forest, yet I still didn't become leader! All because of..." He turned to Firestar. "_You_." He jabbed a paw in Firestar's direction.

Firestar narrowed his eyes, "I don't want to fight Tigerstar." He paused to smile. "Because I wouldn't want to embarrass you by beating you, yet again."

"Oh! Are you just going to sit there and take it, Tigerstar?!" Lionblaze and Breezepelt yowled at the same time, eyes bright and tails lashing. They where both waiting excitedly for a battle to start.

Tigerstar growled, and then suddenly sprang from his spot. He knocked Firestar over, sending him flying backwards and landing hard on the ground.

Firestar gasped, the wind knocked out of him. But he stood up anyways, he didn't have enough time to catch his breath because Tigerstar was right in front of him again. Firestar ducked to the side as TIgerstar swung a paw at him. Firestar grabbed Tigerstar's tail between his teeth and yanked, knocking the evil cat off balance, and then knocked Tigerstar over.

As Tigerstar fell to the ground, Firestar jumped onto his back and raked his back claw's down Tigerstar's spine. Tigerstar yowled, and tried to throw Firestar off. But Firestar dug his claws deep into Tigerstar's shoulders and held on. Firestar bit Tigerstar's neck, leaving marks that bled.

Tigerstar yowled and rolled over. Soon the two where rolling around the clearing, yowling and hissing, scratching and bitting at each other until somehow Firestar finally got Tigerstar pinned on the ground.

Tigerstar panted, muzzle pressed to the ground, and glaring up at Firestar. He went limp, but Firestar held a firm grip. Firestar had gone limp in many battles just to throw off his enemy, that he didn't let it fool him.

"Are you done yet?" Firestar snarled, claws digging deep into the dark tabby's skin.

"Yes." Tigerstar mumbled, struggling to get away.

"Good." Firestar got up and walked back over to Sandstorm like nothing happened. Cats cheered and purred for him, but all Firestar did was lick a paw and bring it over a scratch on his ear.

Princess gasped, eyes wide, and started sniffing Firestar all over. "A-Are you o-okay?" She asked, circling her brother worriedly. There were clumps of fur missing, a scratch or two on his ear, and a few scratches on his side, then there was a bite on his shoulder.

Firestar laughed a little, "I'm fine, sit down, Princess. I've had a lot worse wounds then this."

Leafpool jumped up and hurried to her den, and then came back out with some herbs and cob webs. She quickly got to work, cleaning up Firestar and ignoring Tigerstar's wounds.

Tigerstar grumbled and then limped back to the spot he had been sitting at. Tigerstar started to clean his wounds himself.

When all the cats where done teasing Tigerstar, and cheering for Firestar, Sandstorm read on.

**Spottedleaf didn't look up from her patient as she replied. "Yes, a pity if, after all your valuable training, he dies in his first fight, eh?" Firepaw could hear a teasing purr in her soft mew. "Will he live?" Tigerclaw demanded.**

"Of course. He just needs to rest." Echosong meowed.

**"Of course. He just needs to rest."**

A few cats laughed a this. Cats repeating each other had become a normal thing already.

**Tigerclaw snorted and looked down at the motionless black shape. He jabbed Ravenpaw with one of his front claws. "Come on, then! Get up!" Ravenpaw didn't move. "Look at the length of that claw!" Firepaw hissed.**

At this Tigerstar and Brokenstar both unsheathed their claws at the same time.

Tigerstar glanced over at Brokenstar's. "Ha! Mine are longer!" He said smugly. Brokenstar let out a faint hiss.

**"Too right!" replied Graypaw with feeling. "I know I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him!" "Not so fast, Tigerclaw!" Spottedleaf placed her paw over Tigerclaw's sharp talon and gently moved it away. "This apprentice needs to keep as still as possible until the cut has healed. We don't want him opening his wound by jumping about trying to please you. Leave him alone."**

"Well said." Whitestorm nodded.

"Thanks." Spottedleaf purred.

**Firepaw found himself holding his breath as he waited for Tigerclaw's reacting. He guessed that few cats dared to give orders to the warrior like that. The big tabby stiffened, and seemed about to speak when Spottedleaf mewed teasingly, "Even _you _know better than to argue with a medicine cat, Tigerclaw." Tigerclaw's eyes flashed at the little tortoiseshell's words. "I wouldn't dare argue with _you_, dear Spottedleaf,"**

"Well, you where just about to, before she stopped you." Jayfeather said to Tigerstar.

"I would never argue with you, Jayfeather." Bumblestripe meowed, laughing a bit. "Even if I was right, I would still lose the argument somehow."

**He purred.**

"Purred? Since when dose Tigerstar purr?" Brightheart asked. All he got was a glare from Tigerstar, and a few shrugs and 'I don't know's from the others.

**He turned to leave and caught sight of Graypaw and Firepaw. "Who's this?" he asked Graypaw, towering above them. "He's the new apprentice." Graypaw mewed. "He smells like a kittypet!" snorted the warrior.**

"Because I was." Firestar said flatly.

**"I _was _a house cat," Firepaw meowed boldly. "but I am going to train to be a warrior." Tigerclaw looked at him with sudden interest. "Ah, yes. Now I remember. Bluestar mentioned that she had stumbled across some stray kitteypet. So she'd actually going to try you out, is she?" Firepaw sat up very strait, anxious to impress this distinguished Clan warrior. "That's right." He mewed respectfully.**

"Impress?" Lionblaze chuckled.

"I didn't know he was so evil at the time." Firestar said, ending with a sigh.

**Tigerclaw eyed him thoughtfully. "Then I shall watch your prograss with interest." Firepaw puffed his chest out proudly as Tigerclaw stalked away. "Do you think he liked me?"**

Tigerstar snorted. "Like you? Not in a million moons."

**"I don't think Tigerclaw _likes _any apprentices!" Whispered Graypaw.**

Everyone but Tigerstar laughed at that.

"Your right about that, Graystripe." Lionblaze purred, finally catching his breath after laughing so hard.

**Just then Ravenpaw stirred and twitched his ears. "Has he gone?" He mumbled.**

"You where awake?" Tigerstar growled, turning to look at Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw nodded nervously, and shuffled closer to Dustpelt.

**"Who? Tigerclaw?" Replied Graypaw, trotting toward him. "Yep, he's gone." "Hi, there." Firepaw began, about to introduce himself. "Go away, both of you!" Spottedleaf protested. "How am I meant to help this cat with all these interruptions!"**

"I know exactly how you feel." Jayfeather nodded.

**She impatiently flicked her tail at Graypaw and Firepaw and pushed her way between them and her patient. Firepaw realized she was serious, despite the lively glimmer in her warm amber eyes.**

"Of course I was serious." Spottedleaf frowned. "I had a patient to care for."

"I know you did." Firestar told her. "I wasn't sure if you meant it at first."

**"Come on then, Firepaw." Mewed Graypaw. "I'll show you around. See you later, Ravenpaw." The two cats left Spottedleaf with Ravenpaw and walked across the clearing. Graypaw looked thoughtful. He was clearly taking his duties as a guide very seriously.**

"You know I was!" Graystripe purred. A few cats gave him weird looks, but no one said anything.

**"You know the Highrock already." He began, flicking his tail toward the big, smooth rock. "Bluestar always adresses the Clan from there. Her den is down there." He lifted his nose toward the hollow in the side of the Highrock. "Her den was carved out many moons ago by an ancient stream." Hanging lichen drapped the entrance, sheltering the leader's nest from wind and rain.**

"Thats sounds a lot better then the leader's den here." Bramblestar glanced over at his den and sighed.

**"The warriors sleep over here," Graypaw went on. Firepaw followed him to a large bush a few paces away from the Highrock. There it was a clear view from here right down to the gorse entrance into the camp. **

"I wish the Clans never had to leave." Whitestorm mewoed. "I miss that camp."

"We all do." Redtail agreed.

**The branches hung low, but Firepaw could see a sheltered space inside where the warriors made their nests. "The senior warriors sleep nearest the center, where it's the warmest." Explained Graypaw. "Thy usually share their fresh-kill together over by a clump of nettles. The younger warriors eat near by. Sometimes they are invited to join the senior warriors for eating, which is a big honor."**

"It is." Dovewing agreed.

**"What about the other Clan cats?" Firepaw asked, fascinated but feeling rather overwhelmed by all the traditions and rituals of Clan life. "Well, the queens share the same quarters when they work as warriors, but when they are excepting kits, or nursing them, they stay near the nursery. The elders have their own place on the other side of the clearing. Come on, I'll show you."**

"No," Lionblaze face-pawed. "Your supposed to stay away from the elders den as much as you can! They just yell at you, like Mousefur dose."

"You are lucky that Mousefur isn't with us." Cinderheart told him.

Firestar chucked, "You should have seen how much Cloudtail was in the elders den as a kit and an apprentice."

"Yea, sometimes it seemed like it was his favorite place to be." Sandstorm laughed.

"That's true." Brightheart purred. Lionbalze and Hollyleaf looked over at Cloudtail looking a bit surprised.

"It wasn't my favorite place!" Cloudtail growled, then added, "Not all elders are as bad as Mousefur is. They where actually very nice to me."

**Firepaw trotted after Graypaw, across the clearing, and past the shadowy clearing where Spottedleaf had her den. They stopped beside a fallen tree that sheltered a patch of lush grass. Crouched among the soft greenery where four elderly cats tucking into a plump young rabbit. "Dustpaw and Sandpaw would have brought them that." Whispered Graypaw.**

"_I _caught it." Sandstorm purred, tail flickering.

"You've always been better then me at hunting rabbits." Dustpelt said, rolling his eyes. Firestar nodded in agreement, he had seen Sandstorm hunt many of rabbits, and she was better then both of them at hunting.

**"One of the apprentices' duties is catching fresh-kill for the elders."**

"Mousefur just complains about what I give her." Lionblaze said.

**"Hello, youngster."One of the elders greeted Graypaw. "Hello, Smallear." Graypaw meowed, nodding respectfully. "This must be our new apprentice. Firepaw, isn't it?"**

"Yep." Breezepelt said.

**meowed a second tom. His patchy fur was dark brown, and there was only a stump where his tail should have been.**

"Halftail!" Bluestar, Firestar, Cloudtail, Brightheart, Sandstorm, and Dustpelt all cheered/purred.

**"That's right." Firepaw replied, copying Graypaw's polite nod. "I'm Halftail." purred the brown tom.**

"Told you." Cloudtail purred, looking a bit proud.

**"Welcome to the Clan." "Have you two eaten?" meowed Smallear. Firepaw and Graypaw both shook their heads. "Well, there's enough here. Dustpaw and Sandpaw are turning into fine hunters. Would you mind if these youngsters shared a mouse, One-eye?"**

"I caught that mouse." Dustpelt told everyone, deciding that if Sandstorm could announce her catch, then he could too.

"Why is that cat called One-eye?" Mothwing asked.

**The pale queen who lay beside him shook her head. Firepaw noticed that one of her eyes was clouded and sightless.**

"There's your answer." Leafpool told her.

**"What about you Dappletail?" The other elder, a tortoiseshell she-cat with a gray muzzle, meowed in a voice cracked with age, "Of course not." "Thank you." meowed Graypaw eagerly. He stepped forward and took a large mouse from the pile of prey, then dropped it at Firepaw's feet.**

"Now if you ask for a mouse from the elders, you just get a long story from Purdy." Hollyleaf mewed.

Most of the youngest cats nodded in agreement.

**"You still not tasted mouse?" He asked. "No," Firepaw admitted. He suddenly felt excited by the warm smells that where rising from the piece of fresh-kill. His whole body quivered at the thought of sharing his first meal as a CLan member.**

"Was it really that exciteing?" Half Moon asked.

"Yes, It was to me." Firestar answered, frowning a little.

**"In that case, you can have the first bite. Just save me some!"**

"Funny," Sandstorm purred, "I think I heard you say that to me just the other day."

Graystripe chuckled, remembering that too.

**Graypaw dipped his head and stood back to give Firepaw room. Firepaw crouched down and took a large bite from the mouse. It was juicy and tender, and sang with flavors of the forest.**

Just then, Cloudtail's belly growled loud enough for everyone to hear. Cloudtail ducked and hid his face in Brightheart's fur embarrassedly as everyone paused to look at him. Brightheart purred and licked his ear.

"Wow, Cloudtail, you make it sound like I starve my warriors." Bramblestar shook his head.

**"What do you think?" Asked Graypaw. "Fantastic!" mumbled Firepaw, his mouth still full. "Move over then" mewed Graypaw, stepping forward and bending his head to take a bite. As the two apprentices shared a mouse, they listened to the elders talk among themselves. "How long before Bluestar appoints a new deputy?" Asked Smallear.**

"In a little." Bluestar answered the question.

**"What did you say, Smallear?" mewed One-eye. "I think your hearing has gotten as poor as your eyesight!" Snapped Smallear impatiently.**

A few cats who knew Smallear and One-eye laughed at this.

**"I said, how long until Bluestar appoints a new deputy?" One-eye ignored Smallear's irritated reply and spoke instead to the tortoiseshell queen. "Dappletail, do you remember the day many moos ago when Bluestar herself was appointed deputy?" Dappletail asked earnestly. "Oh, yes! It was not long after she lost her kits."**

"That's not what everyone thinks, is it?" Mistystar whined.

"Yes, it was at the time." Bluestar answered gently, nodding sadly.

"Wait, Bluestar had kits?" Breezepelt asked.

"Who are they?" Half Moon asked.

Mistystar opened her mouth to answer but Oakheart cut her off. "You will just have to wait and find out."

**"She'll not be happy having to appoint a new deputy." Smallear observed.**

"No, I wasn't." Bluestar sighed.

**"Redtail served her long and well. But she'll need to make up her mind quickly. According to Clan custom, the choice has to be made before moonhigh after the death of the old deputy." "At least this time the choice is obvious." Meowed Halftail. Firepaw raised his head and looked around the clearing. Who could Halftail mean?**

"That's what I was wondering." Hollyleaf meowed.

**To Firepaw, all the warriors where worthy of becoming deputy.**

"No, Firestar." Graystripe laughed. "Only a few where worthy at the time."

"I know that now!" Firestar sighed.

**Perhaps he meant Tigerclaw; after all, he had avenged Redtail's death.**

Redtail's fur bristled but he didn't say anything.

**Tigerclaw was sitting not far off, his ears angled toward the elder's conversation.**

"Eavesdropper!" Graystripe yowled. Tigerstar rolled his eyes.

**As Firepaw stretched his tongue to lick traces of mouse from his whiskers, Bluestar's voice called from the Highrock. Redtail's body still layed in the clearing below, pale gray in the fading light. "A new deputy must be appointed." She meowed.**

"Here it comes..." Lionblaze whispered, leaning forward.

**"But first, let us give thanks to Starclan for the life of Redtail. Tonight he sits with his fellow warriors among stars." Silence fell as all the cats looked up into the sky, which was beginning to darken as evening crept over the forest. "And now I shall name the new deputy." ****Bluestar continued. "I say these words before the body of Redtail, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice." **

"BOO!" Cloudtail suddenly screamed, then fell over laughing at the cats' reactions.

Every one jumped at the same time when he had screamed, then Cloudtail got growls, insults, threats, hisses, and of course glares.

**Firepaw looked at Tigerclaw. He couldn't help noticing the hunger in the big warrior's amber eyes as he stared up at the Highrock. **

"He better not become deputy." Ashfur meowed to himself.

**"Lionheart," meowed Bluestar, "Will be the new deputy of Thunderclan." **

"Yay!" Graystripe cheered for his mentor while Lionheart purred loudly.

"At least it's not Tigerstar." Stormfur said.

"I hate Tigerstar." Redtail growled, not caring that the evil tom was sitting only a few tail lengths to his right had heard him.

"I get that he is evil and all, but why do you hate him?" Lionblaze asked.

"You will see." Whitestorm told him.

**Firepaw was curious to see Tigerclaw's reaction. But the dark warrior's face revealed nothing as he whent to congratulate Lionheart with a nudge so hearty that it almoust knocked the golden tabby off balance. "Why didn't she make Tigerclaw deputy?" Firepaw whispered to Graypaw. **

"Because he is evil." Bluestar growled.

"But you didn't know that then." Yellowfang reminded her.

"I know." Bluestar sighed.

**"Probably because Lionheart has been a warrior longer, so he has a lot more experience." Graypaw murmured back, still looking up at Bluestar. She spoke again, "Redtail was also mentor to young Dustpaw. Since there must be no delay in the training of our apprentices, I shall appoint Dustpaw's new mentor immediately. Darkstripe, you are ready for your first apprentice, so you will continue Dustpaw's training. **

"Um, Bluestar? _I _was his first apprentice." Longtail corrected her.

"Oh! Did I really mess that up?" Bluestar face-pawed.

"Yes, you did." Lionheart said.

"Well, why didn't anyone tell me I messed up?" Bluestar asked, now angery with herself and her warriors.

"No kne wanted to correct their leader in the middle of the ceremony, Bluestar." Whitestorm answered.

**You had a fine mentor in Tigerclaw, and I expect you to pass on some of the excellent skills you where taught." The tabby warrior swelled with pride as he showed his acceptance with a solemn nod. He strode over to Dustpaw, bent his head, and rather awkwardly touched noses with his new apprentice. Dustpaw flicked his tail respectfully, but his eyes where still dull with grief for his lost mentor. **

"I _hate _Darkstripe." Dustpelt whined. "Why did he have to be my mentor?"

"Sorry." Bluestar looked at her paws.

"Why do you hate Darkstripe?" Asked Blackstar.

"He tried to turn me against Firestar!" Dustpelt exclaimed. "I would never do that." He added, shaking his head.

Firestar smiled to himself when he heard that.

**Bluestar raised her voice, "I shall keep vigil with Redtail's body tonight, before we bury him at sunrise." She jumped down from the Highrock and walked over to lay beside Redtail's body once more. Many of the other cats joined her, Dustpaw and Smallear among them. "Should we sit with them too?" Firepaw suggested. **

"No."Redtail shook his head. "You didn't know me, so you didn't have to keep vigil."

**He had to admit the idea didn't appeal to him much. It had been a busy day and he was beginning to fell tired. All he wanted to do was find somewhere warm and dry to curl up and sleep. Graypaw shook his head. "No, only those closest to Redtail will share his final night. I'll show you were we sleep. The apprentice den is over here." Firepaw followed Graypaw to thick bush of ferns that lay behind a mossy tree stump.**

"It still sounds better than this camp." Jayfeather sighed.

** "All the apprentices share their fresh-kill by this stump." Graypaw told them. "How many apprentices are there?" Firepaw asked. "Not as many as usual- just me, you, Ravenpaw, Dustpaw, and Sandpaw." As Firepaw and Graypaw settled themselves beside the tree stump, a young she-cat crawled out from beneath the ferns. Her coat was ginger, like Firepaw's but much paler, with barely visible stripes of darker fur. **

Sandstorm's eyes widened a little and she paused from reading. "Firestar, before I read, I just want to say sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Cinderheart asked.

Firestar ignored Cinderheart. He licked Sandstorm's ear, and purred "I know your sorry. You don't have to apologize."

Sandstorm seemed to be more relaxed and she read on.

**"So here comes the new apprentice!" She meowed, narrowing her eyes. "Hello." Meowed Firepaw. The young cat sniffed rudely. "He smells of Kittypet! Don't tell me I'm going to have to share my nest with that revolting stench!" **

"Sandstorm!" Redtail gasped. "I expected my daughter to be more welcoming!"

"Sorry." Sandstorm flattened her ears and then continued reading.

"Firestar... I'm sorry too." Dustpelt said quietly.

"It's okay." Firestar told him. "That was a long time ago."

"Don't tell me that my own apprentice was mean to Firestar too." Redtail shook his head.

"I was..." Dustpelt shuffled his paws on the ground and glanced at Redtail nervously, like an apprentice that was being scolded. Redtail just glared at him.

**Firepaw felt rather taken aback. Since his fight with Longtail, all the cats had been quite friendly. Maybe they had just been distracted by Ravenpaw's news, he thought. "You'll have to excuse Sandpaw." Apologized Graypaw. "I think she must have a fur ball stuck somewhere. She's usually not this bad-tempered." "Psst!" Spat Sandstorm crossly. **

"When do you start being nice to him?" Redtail asked, sounding angery and annoyed.

"Um, the middle or towards the end of the second book?" Sandstorm guessed.

**"Hold on youngsters." The deep voice of Whitestorm sounded behind the apprentices. "Sandpaw! As my apprentice, I expect you to be a little more welcoming to this newcomer." ****Sandpaw held up her head and looked defiant. "I'm sorry, Whitestorm." She purred, not sounding sorry at all. "I just didn't expect to be training with a Kittypet, that's all."**

Redtail growled. Why was she being so rude and mean to Firepaw? And why didn't she listen to her mentor?

"Good words from Whitestorm." Bluestar purred.

Whitestorm shrugged, "I was just trying to help."

**"I'm sure you'll get used to it, Sandpaw." Whitestorm meowed calmly. "Now, it's getting late, and training starts early tomorrow. You three should get some sleep." He gave Sandpaw a stern look, and she nodded obediently. As he walked off, she spun around and vanished into the clump of ferns, sniffing once more as she brushed past Firepaw. With a flick of his tail, Graypaw invited Firepaw to follow him, and led the way after Sandpaw. Inside the sleeping area, the ground was lined with soft moss, and the pale moonlight turned everything a delicate shade of green. **

"That's a lot better then sleeping in a cave." Ivypool looked over at the cave apprentice den.

**The air was fragrant with fern scent, and warmer than outside. "Where do I sleep?" Firepaw asked. "Anywhere, just so long as it's not near me."**

Graystripe shook his head. "Sometimes it's hard to believe you two had become mates."

"What made you actually be nice to Firestar?" Silverstream asked.

"Probably when he saved my life." Sandstorm said after a moment of thought. "I almoust fell into the gorge."

"That's how I met Silverstream." Graystripe laughed. "But I almoust drowned in the river."

Onestar shuddered, "I almoust fell into the gorge, before we got the right to drink from Riverclan's river."

**Snarled Sandpaw, who was prodding some moss with her paw. Graypaw and Firepaw exchanged glances, but said nothing. Firepaw wracked together a pile of moss with his claws. When he had gathered his bed into a cozy nest, he circled untill it was comfortable and settled down. His whole body was drowsy with contentment. This was his home now. He was a member of Thunderclan.**

"Done!" Sandstorm yowled happily. She had been getting tired of reading out loud. "Who's reading next?"

* * *

**That was a lot of writing... Who do you think should read next?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi again everyone. I can't wait to get my new glasses. I get them within the next week or two. :D**

**Wait, I think this story will be more then 30,000 words once I post this chapter. That went up fast! :D**

* * *

"Wait, before read, Graystripe could you get Millie?" Spottedleaf asked.

"Is she reading with us?" Graystripe asked, pulling himself to his paws.

"Yes." Spottedleaf answered.

"Great." Graystripe glanced over at Silverstream, almoust nervously, then left to find her. A minute later he returned with Millie.

Graystripe sat down in between the two she-cats and glanced nervously between the two.

Spottedleaf and Bluestar explained to Millie what part of the book they where at, then Spottedleaf asked, "So, who's turn is it to read?"

"My turn." Jayfeather reached for the book.

"How can you read?" Stormfur asked, then paused before adding, "Your blind."

"I have a way of knowing what the words are." Jayfeather glared at him, then turned his blind eyes to the book.

Half Moon grabed the book for Jayfeather and flipped to the right page for him. "There you go, Jay's Wing." She meowed as she layed down and pushed the book over to him.

Jayfeather meowed a quick thanks to her, then started reading. "Chapter five...

**"Hey Firepaw, wake up!" Graypaw's meow broke into Firepaw's dream. He had been chacing a squirrel up and up, into the top most branches of a tall oak.**

"That's why you where kicking me in your sleep." Graystripe laughed.

"You kicked me too." Dustpelt growled.

"_Another _hunting dream?" Cinderpelt's whiskers twitched with amusement.

"Do you always have hunting dreams?" Cloudtail paused and chucked, "Is that why you always mutter and twitch in your sleep? When you where in the warrior's den you had even kicked me once!" Every one laughed at this.

"Sorry." Firestar ducked his head, a little embarrassed. "No, I don't always have hunting dreams."

**"Training begins at sunrise. Dustpaw and Sandpaw are already up." Graypaw added urgently.**

"Was there some big competition or something?" Cinderheart asked.

"Kind of..." Dustpelt shrugged. "But it was kind of obvious who won." He turned to Bluestar, still a little mad that Firestar and Graystripe had gotten their warrior names first.

"Sorry." Bluestar sighed, looking at her paws.

**Firepaw stretched sleepily, then remembered: today was his first day of training. He leapt to his paws. His drowsiness evaporated as excitement surged through his veins. Graypaw was giving himself a hasty wash. Between licks he meowed, "I've just spoke to Lionheart. Ravenpaw wont be training for another day or two.**

Ravenpaw sighed quietly so only the cats next to him could hear it.

**Dustpaw and Sandpaw are on hunting duty.**

"Ugh, dawn hunting patrols." Sandstorm groaned.

**So Lionheart thought you and I could train with him and Tigerclaw this morning. We'd better hurry, though." He added. "They'll be waiting!" **

"You don't want to keep Tigerstar waiting." Stormfur muttered.

**Graypaw led Firepaw quickly through the gorse entrance of camp and up the side of the rock-strewn valley. As they climbed over the crest of the ravine, a cool breeze ruffled their fur. Fat, white clouds raced across the blue sky overhead. Firepaw felt fierce joy well up inside him as he followed Graypaw down a tree-shaded slope and into a sandy hollow.**

"That still sounds like a great camp." Jayfeather stopped reading to say.

"It was." Squirrelflight nodded.

**Tigerclaw and Lionheart where indeed waiting, sitting a few tail-leghts apart on the sun warm sand. "In the future I expect you to be more punctual." Growled Tigerclaw. "Don't be too severe, Tigerclaw; it was a busy night last night. I expect they where tired."**

"_I _wasn't tired." Graystripe meowed, sounding proud. A few cats chuckled or rolled their eyes.

**meowed Lionheart gently. "You have not yet been assigned a mentor, Firepaw," he went on. "For now Tigerclaw and I will share your training." **

"Wait, Tigerstar trained you?" Bramblestar meowed, sounding confused. "I thought Bluestar did."

"I did, but I had chosen myself as his mentor later." Bluestar answered. "Around the time Yellowfang came to Thunderclan."

**Firepaw nodded enthusiastically, his tail held high, unable to disguise his delight of having two such great warriors as his mentors. **

"_One _great warrior." Firestar corrected.

"Stop that!" Tigerstar snapped.

**"Come," meowed Tigerclaw impatiently. **

"Isn't he always impatient?" Dovewing asked.

"Yes." Hawkfrost mewoed before his father could spit a reply at her. "He is. Jayfeather, continue."

**"Today we are going to show you the edges of our territory, so that you know where you will be hunting and what boundaries you need to protect. Graypaw, it won't do you any harm to remind yourself of the Clan's outer limits."**

"But still, you two seemed to get into new trouble every day." Longtail said, making Firestar and Graystripe laugh.

"Not every day." Firestar meowed, "But we did often."

Graystripe laughed, "Remember when we got so mad at each other, because I kept leaving camp, that we actually started fi-"

"Shut it Graystripe." Firestar hissed, then added more gently, "Yes, I do remember it. We will get to that in the second book, I think."

**Without a word, Tigerclaw leapt up and bounded out of the sandy hollow. Lionheart nodded to Graypaw and they took off with equal speed. Firepaw scrambled after them, his paws slipping on the soft sand. The trees where thick in this part of the forest, birch and ash trees overshadowed by mighty oaks. The ground was carpeted with crisp dead leaves that rustled beneath his paws.**

"I like the descriptions." Cinderheart said. "That place must be a lot different then our territory now."

"It is." Bluestar nodded and sighed.

**Tigerclaw paused to spray his scent on a clump of ferns. The othe****r cats stopped behind him. "There is a Twoleg path." Murmured Lionheart. "Use your nose Firepaw. Can you smell anything?"**

"Of course he can!" Cloudtail yelled. Brightheart flinched at the sudden yell from her mate.

** Firepaw sniffed. There was a faint smell of Twoleg, and a stronger smell of dog, familiar to him from his old home. "A Twoleg has walked his dog along here, but they are gone now." He mewed. "Good," meowed Lionheart. "Do you think it's safe to cross?"**

"If they already left, then it is safe." Tawnypelt said, flicking her tail.

**Firepaw sniffed again. The oders seemed weak and overlaid with fresher forest smells. "Yes." He replied. Tigerclaw nodded, and the four cats stalked out from beneath the ferns and crossed the sharp stones of the narrow Twoleg path.**

"I remember that path!" Tawnypelt suddenly blurted out, earning a glare from Blackstar and Jayfeather, and a few weird looks from other cats. "Sorry, read on." She looked at her paws.

**The trees beyond was pine. They grew tall and strait, row after row. It was easy to walk silently here. The ground was thick with layers of dead needles, which pricked against Firepaw's pads but felt spongy underneath.**

"This is a _lot _different then how I saw it." Millie sighed. "I wished I could have seen it before the Twolegs destroyed the forest."

"What _did _you see?" Hollyleaf asked.

"Tree stumps everywhere, the camp was destroyed, monsters, Twoleg nests..." Millie shook her head. "No prey at all, maybe only a mouse or two. Maybe, if your lucky."

"The medicine cat den was still there though." Graystripe meowed. "So was the Great Skymore."

"Not the Highrock? Or Fourtrees?" Bluestar asked, sounding sad.

"Nope." Graystripe shook his head. "The Highrock a huge crack over it because a tree fell on it." Sad silence.

**There was no undergrowth to hide in, and Firepaw senced tension in the other cats as they stalked unprotected between the tree trunks. "Twolegs put these trees here," meowed Tigerclaw. "They cut them down with foul-smelling creatures, which spew enough fumes to make a kit go blind."**

"That is the first, and only, time I will _ever _agree with Tigerclaw." Cloudtail frowned.

"Tigerstar! Star! I am a leader!" Tigerstar yowled.

"_Was _a leader." Blackstar corrected.

Tigerstar rolled his eyes at the cat who used to be his deputy. "I still am leader."

**Then they take the fallen trees to the Treecut place near here." Firepaw stopped and listened to the roar of the tree-eater, which he had heard before. "The Treecut place will be silent for a few moons more, untill the time of Greenleaf." Explained Graypaw, noticing his pause. **

"How did you know it would be silent until then?" Bumblestripe asked.

"I was told on my first tour of the territory." Graystripe explained.

**The cats padded on through the pine forest. "Twoleg place lies in that direction." Meowed Tigerclaw, flicking his thick tail to one side. "No doubt you can smell it, Firepaw. Today however, we will head the other way."**

"That was an insult!" Cloudtail gasped. "How _dare_ you book, insulting the great and powerful Firestar?"

"Cloudtail," Brightheart laughed a little, "Tigerstar said that, not the book." She explained in a gentle voice.

Cloudtail meowed, "Oh..." Then turned to Tigerstar. "How _dare _you Tigerstar, insulting the great and powerful Firestar?" He ended with a spit in Tigerstar's direction.

Tigerstar rolled his eyes at the fluffy white warrior.

**Eventually they reached another Twoleg path that marked the far edge of the pine forest. They quickly crossed over into the safe bushes of the oak woods beyond. But Firepaw still scenced anxiety in the other cats. **

"What's wrong?" Ivypool asked.

**"We're approaching Riverclan territory."**

"Oh." Ivypool said. Mistystar and Oakheart laughed.

**Graypaw whispered. "Sunningrocks are over there." He pointed with his soft muzzle to a treeless mound of boulders. Firepaw felt his fur stand on end. This was where Redtail had been slain.**

"And you just had to bring up, didn't you?" Redtail whined.

"Sorry." Firestar sighed.

**Lionheart stopped by a flat gray rock. "This is the boundary between Thunderclan and Riverclan territory. Riverclan rules the hunting grounds beside the great river."**

"And we should have always owned the Sunningrocks." Mistystar growled.

Bluestar rolled her eyes. "That was a long time ago."

"I know." Mistystar sighed.

**he meowed. "Breath deeply, Firepaw." The pugent smell of unfamiliar cats hit the roof of Firepaw's mouth. He was surprised how different it smelled from the warm cat scents of the Thunderclan camp. And he was also surprised to realize just how familiar and comforting the Thunderclan scents seem to him already.**

"I'm so glad I left my Twolegs." Firestar purred.

**"That is the smell of Riverclan" Tigerclaw growled beside him. "Remember it well. It will be strongest at the boundary, because their warriors have scent-marked the trees along here." With his words the dark tabby lifted his tail and sprayed his own mark on the flat rock. "We'll follow this boundary line, as it leads strait for fourtrees."**

"Fourtrees? What's that?" Dovewing asked. The cats who lived in the old territory turned and either glared at her or stared at her in shock. She didn't know what Fourtrees was? She had never heard of it?

"Fourtrees is the place where the clans gather ever full moon. It's like the Gathering Island, but it is known as Fourtrees instead." Leafpool explained.

**Lionheart meowed. He set off quickly, away from Sunningrocks, followed by Tigerclaw. Graypaw and Firepaw trotted after them. "What is Fourtrees?" Firepaw panted. "It's where the territories of all the clans meet," replied Graypaw. "There are four great oaks there, as old as the clans-" "Be quite!" Ordered Tigerclaw. "Don't forget how close we are to enemy territory."**

"Jeeze." Bumblestripe barely stopped himself from flinching. "He was just answering the question. I understand that your by enemy territory, but I think that he could have answered that."

**The two apprentices fell silent and Firepaw concentrated on walking silently. They crossed a shallow stream, keeping their paws dry from leaping from boulder to boulder across the pebbly riverbed.**

"Is pebbly even a word?" Longtail asked.

"That's what I was wondering." Mothwing added.

Princess thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know."

"Pebbly, pebbly, pebbly, pebbly, pebbly..." Tigerheart said quickly, getting slower each time. "Wow, that's hard to say. Pebbly doesn't even sound like a word now."

A few cats looked at him weird, but Jayfeather continued before they could say anything.

**By the time they reached Fourtrees Firepaw felt completely out of breath and his paws ached. He wasn't used to traveling so far and so fast. He was quite relieved when Lionheart and Tigerclaw led them out of the thick woods and stopped at the brow of a bush-covered slope. Below, in the dazzling sunlight, stood four enormous oaks, their dark green crowns reaching almoust to the top of the steep slope.**

"Those must be _huge_!" Lionblaze exclaimed.

"They where." Onestar agreed, nodding.

"Firestar?" Leafstar looked confused. "This territory doesn't have Fourtrees like it dose in the books. This _is _Clan territory, right?"

"Yes, it is." Firestar nodded. "But we had to move."

"Why did you have to move?" Echosong asked. Skyclan wasn't the only Clan that had to leave the forest?

"You'll find out." Blackstar meowed.

**"As Graypaw told you," meowed Lionheart to Firepaw. ", this is Fourtrees, where the territories of all four clans meet. Windclan governors the high ground ahead of us, where the sun sets. You won't be able to catch their scent today-**

"Or any fresh scents time soon." Onestar sighed, remembering when Shadowclan had drove them out.

He got a few curious or confused glances from the cats who weren't there at the time, but no one asked what he ment.

**the wind is blowing towards them. But you'll learn it soon enough." "And Shadowclan holds the power over there, in the darkest part of the forest." Added Graypaw, flicking his head sideways. "The elders say that the cold winds from the north blow over the Shadowclan cats and chill their hearts."**

"Some of us yes, but not everyone!" Tawnypelt yelled at the book. Tigerheart meowed agreement.

**"So many Clans!" Firepaw exclaimed.**

"There's only four." Crowfeather meowed. "It's not that many."

"_Five_! _Five_ Clans! Not four! Five!" Leafstar snapped, getting annoyed that no one knows of Skyclan. "How come no one knows about Skyclan?" She snarled, turing to look at Firestar._  
_

Everyone looked at her surprised. Why would Leafstar suddenly get mad like that? She knows her Clan's history, and she knows that only a few cats here know of Skyclan.

"Leafstar," Firestar took a breath, "please calm down. We all know now that there are five Clans. We will get to your books, then everyone will see that Skyclan is real."

Leafstar still looked angery, but she sat back down. Echosong looked nervously at her leader, then quickly told Jayfeather to read.

**And so well organized, he added to himself, remembering Smudge's lurid tales of wildcats wrecking terror in the forest. "You see now why prey is so precious." Meowed Lionheart. "Why we musy fight to protect what little we have." "But that's foolish!**

"What?" Lionblaze blurted out. "How is that foolish?"

**Why can't the Clans work together and share their hunting grounds, instead of fighting each other?" Firepaw suggested boldly. A shocked silence met his words.**

"I'm not surprised that all you got was silence." Dustpelt meowed. He got nods and of meows of agreement.

"I kind of agree with that though..." Princess said. "Why fight when you don't have to?"

"Yea." Half Moon agreed. "Everything would just be a whole lot easier."

Blackstar snorted, "Like I'm ever going to be in a clan with _Firestar_."

"I wouldn't survive living with Thunderclan." Breezepelt meowed.

Jayfeather, not wanting to hear anymore, read on.

**Tigerclaw was the first to reply. "That is treacherous thinking, Kittypet." He snapped. "Don't be too fierce, Tigerclaw." Warned Lionheart. "The ways of the Clans are new to this apprentice."**

"I miss Lionheart." Graystripe suddenly sighed. He looked down at his paws, Silverstream pressed against him comfortingly. Millie glared at the she-cat but didn't say anything.

Bumblestripe watched them them but said nothing.

**He looked at Firepaw. "You speak from your heart, young Firepaw. This will make you a stronger warrior one day." Tigerclaw growled, "Or it might make him give into Kittypet weakness in right at the moment of attack." **

"Of course, you have to ruin it again." Onestar sighed.

**Lionheart glanced briefly at Tigerclaw before he continued, "The four clans do come together peacefully, in a Gathering each moon. Here" -he bent his head toward the four mighty oaks below- "is where they meet. The truce lasts as long as the moon is at its fullest." "Then there must be a meeting very soon?" Firepaw suggested,**

"Impressive." Oakheart meowed. Whitestorm nodded, agreeing.

**remembering how bright the moonlight had been the night before.**

"Oh, that's how you knew." Cinderheart said, nodding.

**"Indeed, there is!" Answered Lionheart, sounding impressed. "Tonight, in fact. The Gatherings are very important because they allow the Clans to come together in peace for one night. But you must understand that longer alliances bring more trouble then their worth." "It is our Clan loyalty that makes us strong," Tigerclaw meowed in agreement. "If you weaken that loyalty, you weaken our chances of survival." Firepaw nodded, "I understand." He meowed.**

"Good." Bluestar nodded, as if she was really there in the book.

**"Come on," meowed Lionheart. "Lets keep moving." They padded along the ridge of the valley where Fourtrees stood. Now they where heading away from the sun as it began to sink in the afternoon sky. They crossed the stream at a place where it was narrow enough to leap over in one jump. Firepaw sniffed the air. A new cat-scent touched his mouth glands, strong and sour.**

"That _has_ to be Shadowclan." Crowfeather meowed, making Breezepelt laugh.

"Are we really that bad?" Blackstar asked, looking hurt.

"To you it might not be bad. But to us..." Dustpelt shook his head. "You _stink_!" Everyone laughed, except for the Shadowclan cats.

**"Which Clan is that?" He asked. "Shadowclan."**

Jayfeather suddenly stopped reading. He looked over at Crowfeather, who was about to say something.

"Don't say it." Jayfeather growled.

"Say what?" Yellowfang asked.

"He was going to say, 'I told you so!' Loudly then keep going on about it."

"How do you know?" Bumblestripe asked curiously.

Jayfeather just read instead of answering.

**answered Tigerclaw grimly. "We are traveling along their border. Keep your wits about you, Firepaw. Fresher scents means that a Shadowclan patrol is in the area." As Firepaw nodded, he heard a new noise. **

"What is it?" Dovewing asked.

"Be quite and you'll find out." Ivypool told her.

**He stiffened, but the other cats kept up their pace, heading strait for the ominous noise.**

"The Thunderpath?" Squirrelflight guessed, even though she already knew what it was.

"Yep." Firestar nodded.

Cinderpelt sighed, but didn't say anything.

**"What's that?" He called, trotting to catch up with them. "You'll see in a moment." Replied Lionheart. Firepaw peered through the trees ahead. They seemed to be getting thinner, letting in a broad band of sun light. "Are we at the edge of the woods?" He asked. Then he stopped at took a deep breath. The green forest scents were overlaid with other strange, dark smells.**

"I hate Thunderpaths." Bramblestar growled. "But you start to get used to them after a while of always having to cross them." He was talking about when the six cats headed for the sun-drown place.

**Firepaw followed as Lionheart led them toward the edge of the forest. He sat down and all four cats looked out. Firepaw could see a gray path a river, cutting its way through the forest. The hard gray stone stretched far ahead of him so far that the trees on the other side seemed blurred and tiny.**

Cinderpelt shuddered at the bad memories of the Thunderpath. Leafpool pressed again her former mentor, knowing how much she hated Thunerpaths.

**Firepaw shuddered at the bitter smell that rose from the path. Next moment he leapt back, his fur bristling as a gigantic monster roared past. The branches of the trees on either side flapped madly in the wind that chased the speeding monster. **

"I have never seen a Thunderpath like that..." Princess trailed off, eyes wide. "And I have seen a _lot_."

**Firepaw stared around at the other cats, his eyes wide, unable to speek. He had seen paths like this before near his old home, but never this wide, nor with monsters so swift and fierce. "Scared me for the first time too." Remarked Graypaw.**

"At least you didn't have get hit like I did." Cinderpelt sighed, looking at her paws. "I wish I had just listened to you, Firestar. If I had this would have never happened."

"How many times do I have to tell you? Stop thinking like that!" Yellowfang growled. "You became a great medicine cat, you even saved Shadowclan. And if it hadn't been you hit, it might have been someone else."

Blackstar growled when she said that the medicine cat had saved Shadowclan.

Cinderpelt glanced over at her and simply said with a sigh, "I know."

**"But at least it helps keep Shadowclan warriors from crossing into our territory. The Thunderpath runs for many pawsteps along our bordery line. And don't worry; those monsters never seem to leave the Thunderpath. **

"Well, we learned that they _do _go off the Thunderpath." Tawnypelt growled.

Ravenpaw sighed, remembering what the old Clan territory looks like now.

**You'll be fine as long as you don't go too near." "It's time we have returned tl camp." Meowed Lionheart. "You've seen all our boundaries now. But we'll avoid Snakerocks, even though the way around is longer.**

Brightheart shuddered from the memory of the dogs.

**An untrained apprentice would be easy prey for an adder, and I expect you are getting tired, Firepaw." Firepaw couldn't help feeling relieved at the thought of returning to the camp. His head was spinning with all the new smells and sights, and Lionheart was right: he was tired, and hungry. He fell in behind Graypaw as the cats turned away from the Thunderpath and headed back into the forest.**

"Is that it?" Longtail asked.

"I'm hungry!" Cloudtail complained.

"Just a few more pages." Jayfeather answered.

**The dewy of the evening filled the air as Firepaw made his way through the gorse entrance of the Thunderclan camp. Fresh-kill was waiting for them.**

"_We _caught it." Sandstorm sounded proud.

**Firepaw and Graypaw took their share from the pile that lay in a shady part of the clearing and carried it to the tree stump outside their quarters.**

"Hey Sandstorm, Dustpelt?" Ravenpaw laughed, "Do you remember the snake we left you two?"

Sandstorm glared at him while Dustpelt's fur fluffed up a bit. He hissed, "I _hated _that snake! It scared me!"

Firestar, Graystripe, and Ravenpaw laughed really hard.

**Dustpaw and Sandpaw were already there, munching hungrily.**

"Oh great, here it comes." Sandstorm sighed, knowing what comes next.

"Sorry." Dustpelt looked at his paws.

**"Hi there, Kittypet." Meowed Dustpelt, narrowing his eyes scornfully at Firepaw. "Enjoy the food we caught for you." "Who knows, maybe you might even catch your own one day!" Sneered Sandpaw.**

Redtail shook his head, clearly unhappy with how they were acting.

**"Are you two still on hunting duty?" Graypaw asked innocently. "Never mind. We've been patrolling our territory borders. You'll be glad to know that all is safe." "I'm sure the other Clans were terrified when they smelled you two coming!" Yowled Dustpaw.**

"Good one." Lionblaze laughed.

"Why are you two so mean to him?" Princess asked, glancing between Dustpelt and Sandstorm.

"We said sorry!" Sandstorm exclaimed.

"It's just that we thought that Kittypets don't belong in the Clan." Dustpelt meowed, "Well I guess we were proved wrong."

**"They didn't even dare to show their faces," retorted Graypaw, unable to hide his anger. "Well we'll ask them tonight when we see them at the Clan Gathering." Mewed Sandpaw. "Are you going?" Firepaw blurted out,**

"Obviously." Yellowfang rolled her eyes.

**impressed in spite of the apprentices' hostility.**

"You're supposed to be on my side!" Graystripe hissed.

"I was, and I always have been!" Firestar exclaimed.

**"Oh course," replied Dustpaw loftily, "It's a great honor, you know. But don't worry; we'll tell you all about it in the morning."**

"It's not much of an honor anymore." Hollyleaf said.

"Yea, most of the Clan goes now." Tigerheart agreed.

**Graypaw ignored Dustpaw's gloating and started eating his fresh-kill. Firepaw was hungry too, and crouched down to eat. He couldn't help feeling a twinge of envy that Dustpaw and Sandpaw where actually going to meet the other Clans tonight. A loud call from Bluestar made Firepaw look up. He watched several of the Clan warriors and elders gather in the clearing. It was time for the Clan party to leave for the Clan gathering.**

"That reminds me..." Mistystar meowed. "How long are we going to be reading these books? I mean, it's already been a day and a half and we are only on chapter five of the first book."

Bluestar shrugged, "I'm not sure. Don't worry, we can just have Dovewing tell us how everything is going in the other Clans if it takes to the time of the next Gathering."

"How could Dovewing be able to tell us that?" Bumblestripe asked curiously. He didn't know about her, or the other's, powers yet.

"You haven't told him?" Tigerheart asked, turning to her.

Dovewing shook her head as Bumblestripe started to look a little worried, "Tell me what?"

"Nothing." Dovewing sighed. "Don't worry about it. You will find out later, when we read the books I'm in."

**Dustpaw and Sandpaw leapt to their feet and trotted over to join the other cats. "Bye you two," Sandpaw called over her shoulder. "Have a nice, quite evening!"**

Graystripe let out an annoyed hiss.

**The assembled cats walked out of the camp entrance in single file, with Bluestar at the head. Her fur glowed like silver in the moonlight, and she looked calm and confident as she led her Clan to the brief truce between old enemies. "Have you even been to a Gathering?" Firepaw asked Graypaw wistfully.**

"Of course not. I only became an apprentice a few days before." Graystripe told the book.

"Well now apprentices get to go right away." Dovewing said.

**"Not yet," replied Graypaw, crunching loudly on a mouse bone. "But it wont be long now; just you wait. All of the apprentices get to go sometime." The two apprentices ate the rest of their meal in silence. When they had finished, Graypaw wandered over to Firepaw and began to groom his head. Together they washed, sharing tongues as Firepaw had seen the other cats do when he first arrived. Then, tired after the long trek, they pushed their way into the den and quickly fell asleep.**

"Is that it for the chapter?" Half Moon asked, glancing over Jayfeather's shoulder at the book.

"No." Was all Jayfeather said.

"But I'm hungry!" Cloudtail complained.

"Cloudtail, if you don't stop complaining right now, your not going to be listening to the next two chapters." Princess meowed, and sounded like she meant it.

"Yes Princess." Cloudtail murmured, ears flat as he shuffled his paws on the ground.

Again, the cats who didn't know she was his mother, looked at them weirdly. They didn't say anything though because they knew that the answer would be 'you'll see' or 'wait and find out' or something like that.

**The following morning, Graypaw and Firepaw arrived early at the sandy hollow. They had crept out before Sandpaw and Dustpaw woke.**

"Will Ravenpaw join you in training yet?" Squirrelflight asked.

"Yes, I will be training with them." Ravenpaw answered.

**Firepaw had been eager to hear about the Gathering, but Graypaw had dragged him away. **

"Almost literally, too." Graystripe laughed

**"You'll hear about it later, if I know those two." He had mewed.**

"What dose that mean?" Dustpelt frowned.

**It promised to be another warm day. And this time Ravenpaw came to join them. Thank Spottedleaf, his wounds was healing well. Graypaw played around, scooping leaves into the air and leaping after them. Firepaw watched, his tail twitching in amusement. Ravenpaw sat quietly at one side of the hollow, looking tense and unhappy.**

"Because I wasn't happy." Ravenpaw meowed, shaking his head.

**"Cheer up, Ravenpaw!" Called Graypaw. "I know you don't like training, but you're usually not this miserable."**

"Poor Ravenpaw." Echosong shook her head.

"I'm okay." Ravenpaw gave a weak smile. "I'm much happier living in my barn with Barley. He's been a great friend."

**The scents of Lionheart and Tigerclaw warned the apprentices of their approach, and Ravenpaw mewed hastily, "I suppose I'm just worried about my shoulder getting hurt again." At that moment, Tigerclaw emerged from the bushes, followed by Lionheart. "Warriors should suffer their pain silently." Growled Tigerclaw.**

"Ravenpaw's suffered enough." Dustpelt growled, defending his brother.

"If you're hurt, you should see a medicine cat right away!" Spottedleaf added.

**He looked at Ravenpaw strait in the eye. "You need to learn to hold your toung."**

Ravenpaw flinched and looked at the ground, remembering it as they read.

**Ravenpaw flinched and dropped his gaze to the ground. "Tigerclaw's a bit grumpy today." Graypaw whispered into Firepaw's ear.**

"I had heard that." Tigerstar growled.

"Too late to do anything." Graystripe shrugged.

**Lionheart glanced at his apprentice sternly and announced, "Today we are going to practice stalking.**

Everyone who was not Thunderclan leaned forward, wanting to hear Thunderclan secrets.

"Calm down." Bluestar meowed. "Remember that we have Super Editions that focus on cats in other Clans as well."

**Now, there is a big difference between creeping up on a rabbit and creeping up on a mouse. Can any of you tell me why?**

"Oh! Oh! Pick me! Pick me!" Bramblestar yowled, pretending to be Squirrelflight. Squirrelflight shoved him hard, but playfully. Bramblestar licked her ear while everyone burst out in laughter.

**Firepaw had no idea, but Ravenpaw seemed to have taken Tigerclaw's words to heart and was holding his tongue. "Come on!" Snorted Tigerclaw impatiently. It was Graypaw who answered: "Because a rabbit will smell you before he sees you, but a mouse will feel your pawsteps on the ground before he even smells you."**

Blackstar nodded to himself, making a note to remember that.

**"Exactly, Graypaw! So what must you bear in mind when hunting mice?" "Step lightly?" Firepaw suggested. Lionheart looked approvingly at him. "Quite right, Firepaw. You must take all your weight to your haunches, so that your paws make no impact on the forest floor. Let's try it!" **

"I have a feeling that this will end up making us laugh again." Feathertail meowed.

**Firepaw watched as Graypaw and Ravenpaw immediately dropped into a stalking crouch. "Nicely done, Graypaw!" Meowed Lionheart as the two apprentices began to move forward stealthily. "Keep your rear down, Ravenpaw, you look like a duck!" Spat Tigerclaw.**

"Why did you make _him _a mentor?" Lionblaze asked Bluestar.

"It seemed like the right choice at the time..." Bluestar said. "We had few warriors and Tigerstar fit for it."

"He was a terrible mentor!" Ravenpaw exclaimed.

"I know, and I'm sorry." Bluestar told him.

**"Now you try it, Firepaw." Firepaw crouched down and began to creep across the forest floor. He felt himself instinctively get into the right position, and as he stepped forward, as silently and lightly as he could, he felt a glow of pride that his muscles responded so smoothly. "Well, it's obvious you've known nothing but softness!" Growled Tigerclaw.**

"Duh, he was a Kittypet." Dustpelt rolled his eyes. Millie glared at him, hissing quietly.

**"You stalk like a lumbering Kittypet! Do you think dinner is going to come up and lie down in your food dish and wait to be eaten?" **

"Don't you think your being to hard on him?" Redtail growled.

"No. The Kittypet needed it." Tigerstar answeredd calmly.

**Firepaw sat up quickly as Tigerclaw spoke, a little taken aback by his harsh words. He listened carefully to the warrior, determined to get everything right. "His pace and forward movement will come later, but his crouch was perfectly balanced." Lionheart pointed out mildly. "Which is better then Ravenpaw, I suppose." Complained Tigerclaw.**

"Can you just shut up already?" Stormfur muttered. "All you do is order things, complain, kill, and make fun of cats."

**He cast a scornful look at the black cat. "Even after two moons of training, you still put all your weight on your left side." Ravenpaw looked even more dejected, and Firepaw couldn't stop himself from blurting out, "His injury is bothering him, that's all!" Tigerclaw whiped his head around and glared at Firepaw.**

"Oh, now your in trouble!" Ashfur said, making everyone jump. They had forgotten he was there.

**"Injuries are a fact of life. He should be able to adapt. Even you, Firepaw, have learned something this morning. If Ravenpaw picked up things as quickly as you, he'd be a credit to me instead of an embarrassment. Imagine being shown up by a Kittypet!" He spat angrily at his apprentice.**

Ravenpaw flinched, and Sandstorm ran her tail along his back to comfort her friend.

**Firepaw felt his fur prickle with discomfort. He couldn't meet Ravenpaw's eyes, so he looked down at his paws. "Well, _I'm _more lopsided than a one-legged badger." Meowed Graypaw, breaking off from his careful stalking to stagged comically across the clearing. "I think I'll have to settle for hunting stupid mice. They wont stand a chance. I shall just wander up to them and sit on them until they surrender." **

At this everyone burst out in laughter. A few cats fell over, or where gasping for breath.

Graystripe grinned at everyone, laughing quietly as he remembered doing this.

**"Concentrate, young Graypaw. There is no time for your jokes!" Meowed Lionheart sternly. "Perhaps you might focus your mind better if you tried out your stalking for real." All three apprentices looked up brightly. **

Bluestar laughed quietly, imagining their faces when they did that.

**"I want each one of you to try catching real prey," meowed Lionheart. "Ravenpaw, you look beside the Owltree. Graypaw, there might be something in that big bramble patch over there. And you Firepaw, follow the rabbit track over the rise; you'll find the dry bed of a winter stream. You may find something there."**

"Do you actually catch something?" Blackstar joked, and Firestar growled.

**The three apprentices bounded away, even Ravenpaw finding some energy for this challenge. With the blood pounding in his ears, Firepaw crept slowly up over the rise. Sure enough, a stream cut through the trees ahead of him. In leaf-fall, he guessed it would carry rainwater away from the forest and into the great river that cut through Riverclan territory. Now it was dry."**

"Clearly." Yellowfang meowed, shaking her head.

**Firepaw crept quietly down the bank and crouched on it's sandy floor. Every sense alert for signs of life. He watched for any tiny movement, his mouth open so he could pick up the smallest scent, his ears twisted forward. Then he smelled mouse. He recognized the oder instantly, remembering his first taste the night before. Wild energy surged through him, but he remained motionless, tryinf desperately to pinpoint the prey. He strained his ears forward until he picked up the rapid pulsing of a tiny mouse heart. Then a flash of brown caught his eye.**

"Get it!" Squirrelflight yowled, jumping up.

"You're never goinf to catch anything like that." Stormfur purred.

"Sorry." Squirrelflight sat back down and hid her face, embarrassed, in Bramblestar's fur. Bramblestar purred and licked her ears.

**The creature was scrambling through the long grass that drapped the edges of the stream. Firepaw shifted closer, remembering to keep his weight on his haunches until he was within striking distance. **

Blackstar nodded, still trying to memorize how to hunt forest prey so he could teach his Clan mates.

**Then he pushed back hard on his hindpaws and sprang, kicking up sand as he rose. The mouse raced away. But Firepaw was quicker. He scooped it into the air with one paw, threw it onto the sandy streambed, and ludged on top of it. He killed it quickly with one sharp bite.**

"First kill!" Cloudtail yowled excitedly.

"Finally you caught something." Leafpool said, flicking her tail back and forth.

**Firepaw carefully lifted the waem body between his teeth and returned with his tail held high to the hollow where Tigerclaw and Lionheart waited. He had made his first kill. He was a true Thunderclan apprentice now. **

"Done." Jayfeather closed the book and set it on the ground.

"Finally!" Cloudtail yowled. Then Cloudtail, Graystripe, Bumblestripe, and Bramblestar all jumped up and raced for the fresh-kill pile to get the first choice of prey.

"I need to go check on dawn patrols." Squirrelflight stood up and left the group.

Tigerstar stretched out and fell asleep. It was sunhigh, so after the sunhigh patrols get back they would all gather to read again.

* * *

**Finally done. Like it? That felt like it took forever to write.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey! Here is the new chapter. :3**

**WOW544- I'll see if I can. :D I was hopeing to sooner or later**

**DarkAngle643- I will try to fit in the fights. :)**

* * *

It was now well after sunhigh, and everyone was in a circle ready to read again. Well, everyone but Tigerstar, who was still sleeping.

"Who wants to wake Tigerstar?" Onestar asked. Everyone quickly said 'Not it!' Exept for Brokenstar, who had yawned instead of saying 'Not it!'.

"Fine." Bokenstar growled. "I'll wake him." Brokenstar jabbed Tigerstar in the side hard. Tigerstar's eyes flew open and he sprang into the air, pinning down the cat who woke him.

Tigerstar growled in Brokenstar's face, but made his fur relax and his claws slid back in when he recognised his Dark Forest clanmate.

Brokenstar stood up, rolling his eyes and shaking dirt from his pelt. Clearly Tigerstar had done that before.

"Do you want to read, Tigerstar?" Offered Bluestar.

Tigerstar grumbled something to himself as he ripped the book from her paws, leaving long claw marks on the cover. He took a breath then read.

**Early morning sunlight streamed down on the forest floor as Firepaw roamed in search of prey. Two moons has passed since the beginning of his training.**

Firestar and Graystripe looked at each other. THey both knew what was coming.

** He felt at ease in this environment now.**

"Good, you should." Redtail nodded.

**His scences have been awoken and educated in the ways of the woods. Firepaw paused to sniff the earth and the cold blind things that moved within it. He had caught the scent of the Twoleg that had wandered the forest recently. Now that green-leaf was fully here, leaves where thick on the branches and tiny creatures where busy under the carpet of leaf mold. Firepaw made a lean, strong shape as he moved silently through the trees, all his scences alert for the scent trail that would end in a swift kill.**

"You didn't look like a Kittypet at all by then." Graystripe meowed.

Firestar purred but didn't say anything.

**Today he had been sent after his first solo task. He was determined to do well, even if his task was only to bring fresh-kill back to the Clan. **

"It's good that you where determined to do good on such a simple task." Oakheart said, nodding.

**He headed for the stream he had crossed on that first treck through Thunderclan hunting grounds. It gurgled and spattered as it ran downhill over the smooth, round, pebbles. Firepaw paused briefly to lap at the cold, clear water then lifted his head to test the air for any scent of prey. The stench of fox lay heavy in the air. The smell was stale, so the fox must have drunk here today.**

"That better not be the same fox as earlier." Leafstar meowed.

"It's a different one." Bluestar promised. "We had gotten rid of the first one."

**Firepaw recognised the odor; he had smelled it on his first visit to the forest. Since then, Lionheart had taught him it was fox-scent, but apart from the glimps of the fox's pelt through the brush he had caught on his first outing, Firepaw still hadn't seen one properly. **

"That's good." Cinderpelt said, "You don't want to see one."

**He struggled to screen out the fox-scent and concentrate on the prey-scent. Suddenly his whiskers prickled as he homed on the warm blood-beat of prey- a water vole busy in its nest. A moment later he saw the vole. The fat brown body was darting back and forth along the bank as it gathered grass stalks. Firepaw's mouth watered in anticipation.**

"Mine is watering too!" Cloudtail licked his lips.

"But you just ate." Princess pointed out.

"So?" Cloudtail's tail twitched as if he was annoyed.

**His last meal had been many hours ago, but he dared not hunt for himself until the Clan had been fed.**

"It didn't seem like that when you found Yellowfang." Bluestar said.

Firestar sighed. "I know." Yellowfang laughed quietly to herself.

**He remembered the words repeated by Lionheart and Tigerclaw time and time again: "The Clan must be fed first." Dropping into a crouch, Firepaw begane to stalk the little creature. His orange belly fur brushed against the damp grass. He crept closer, eyes never leaving his prey. Almost there. Another moment and he would be near enough to spring... Suddenly there was a loud rustle in the ferns behind him. The water vole's ears twitched and it disappeared down a hole in the bank.**

"Aww! You didn't get it!" Cloudtail sounded as if he had lost it himself.

"What made the noise?" Princess looked really worried. "Will you be okay? I hope you don't get hurt!"

Firestar ran his tail along her back, "I'm okay now, aren't I?"

"I guess so." Princess mumbled, but glared at the stars in her brother's fur.

**Firepaw felt the hackles rising along his spine. What ever had ruined his first good chance of catching prey would have to pay.**

"Fight!" Blackstar leaned forward excitedly along with Breezepelt, Brokenstar, and all the other evil cats.

"You've told me this story!" Sandstorm suddenly exclaimed To Firestar. She had heard of this many times.

Firestar purred, "I have."

**He sniffed the air. He could tell it was a cat, but he realilized with a jolt that he couldn't recognize what clan it belonged to- the stale stench of fox confused his smell-sense. **

"Who is it?" Whitestorm asked.

**A growl rose in his throat as he began doubling back in a wide circle. He pricked up his ears and opened his eyes wide, seeking out any movement. He heard the undergrowth rustle again.**

'Sorry' Graystripe mouthed the words to Firestar.

Firestar laughed, "I know you are." He said aloud.

Everyone (but Graystripe) looked at him confused. No one had saw Graystripe mouth the word.

"What are you talking about, Firestar?" Bramblestar asked.

"Nothing." Firestar said quickly.

**It was louder now, off to one side. Firepaw edged closer. He could see the ferns moving, but the fonds still hid the enemy from view. A twig snapped with a sharp crackling noise. From the noise it's making, it must be very big, Firepaw thought, preparing himself for a fierce battle.**

"Told you." Blackstar purred.

"I don't remember you getting hurt around that time..." Spottedleaf trailed off in thought.

**He leaped for the trunk of an ash and climed swiftly and silently to an overhanging branch. Below him the invisible warrior came closer and closer still. Firepaw held his breath, judging his moment as the ferns where pushed aside and a large grayish shape emerged. "Gr-aaar!" The battle cry rumbled in Firepaw's throat.**

"Horrible battle cry." Half Moon shook her head.

Blackstar shrugged, "I've heard worse."

**Claws unsheathed, he launched himself at the enemy and landed square on a set of furry, muscular shoulders. He dug in hard, gripping with thorn-sharp claws, ready to deal out a powerful warning bite. "Wa- ah! What'sat?"**

"What'sat?" Feathertail laughed, a few cats laughing as well.

**The body below him shot strait into the air, carrying him with it. "Uh! Graypaw?" Firepaw recognized the astonished voice and caught the familiar smell, but he was too fired up to lossen his grip.**

By now everyone understood what was happening. Everyone burst out in laughter.

"Graystripe?" Millie laughed, "That was you?" Graystripe nodded and ducked his head in what might have been embarrassment.

**"Ambush! Murr-oow!" Spat Graypaw, not realizing that the cat gripping onto his back was Firepaw. He rolled over in attempt to dislodge his attacker. "Uuff-ff!" Firepaw**

"Stop making up words!" Crowfeather meowed, getting a few cats to laugh.

"That hurt you know!" Firestar exclaimed.

"Not as much as you hurt _me_! You wouldn't let go!" Graystripe yelled.

**rolled with him, squashed a flattenee beneath the heavy body.**

"I'm not fat!" Graystripe wailed. "I've told you before, it's just fluff!" He sat back, showing a very fluffy gray belly.

"I never said-" Firestar was interrupted.

"Yes! You did say that!" Graystripe growled.

"No, I-"

"SHUT UP!" Yellowfang yowled above whatever Firestar was saying. Both toms turned to glare at her, but all she did was give the signal for Tigerstar to read.

**"It's me- Firepaw!" He yowled as he struggled to pull free and sheath his claws. Rolling away, he sprang to his feet and gave himself a shake, which rippled all the way along his body to the end of his tail. "Graypaw! It's me." He repeated. "I thought you where an enemy warrior!" Graypaw rose to his feet.**

"I wasn't one." Firestar said quietly, remembering being flattened.

**He winced and shook himself. "It felt like it." He grumbled, twisting his head around to lick his sore shoulders. "You've raked me to shreds?" ****"Sorry," Firepaw mumbled, "But what am I supposed to think, with you creeping up on me like that?"**

**"Creeping up!" Graypaw's eyes where round with indignation.**

"What dose indignation mean?" Brokenstar asked.

Princess spoke up, "Indignation is a noun. It means,

anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment."

"Okay." Brokenstar nodded. "Now what's a noun?"

"Do you cats not know anything?" Princess shook her head.

Tigerstar, not wanting to hear more, read on.

**"That was my best stealth crouch." "Stealth! You still stalk like a lopsided badger!" Firepaw teased. He flattened his ears playfully. Graypaw gave a hiss of delight. "I'll show you lopsided!" The two cats leapt at each other and began rolling over in a play-fight.**

"Of course." Blackstar rolled his eyes.

**Graypaw swiped at Firepaw with a hefty paw and the young apprentice's head buzzed with stars. "Uufff-ff" Firepaw shook his head to clear it and then launched a counterattack. He managed to get in a couple of paw strikes before Graypaw overpowered him and held him down. Firepaw let his body go limp.**

"Why did you give up so easily?" Leafstar asked. This was _Firestar_, he wouldn't give up! He had to have some sort of plan.

Firestar looked over at her but said nothing.

**"You give up too easily!" Mewed Graypaw, loosening his grip. As he did so, Firepaw sprang to his feet, firing Graypaw off his back and into the undergrowth. **

"Surprise attack!" Cloudtail and Bramblestar purred/yowled at the same time. Everyone looked at them weirdly. Cloudtail and Bramblestar just smiled widely.

**Firepaw leaped after him and pinned him to the ground. "Surprise is the warrior's greatest weapon." He crowed, quoting one of Lionheart's favorite phases.**

Redtail laughed, "Wow, Firestar, wow." A few other cats laughed too, or gave Firestar weird looks.

Firestar ducked his head to try to avoid the stares. It didn't really work.

**He jumped nimbly off Graypaw and began to squirm in the leaf litter, enjoying his easy victory and the warmth of the earth against his back. Graypaw seemed unbothered by his second defeat of this morning. It was too fine of a day to be bad tempered.**

"I wish I could have ever said that about Jayfeather." Lionblaze joked. "He's always bad tempered." Jayfeather growled and muttered something under his breath.

**"So how are you getting on with your task?" He asked. Firepaw sat up. "I was doing just fine until you came along! I was about to catch a vole when your noise trampling frightened it off." "Oh, sorry." Mewed Graypaw. Firepaw looked at his crestfallen friend. "That's okay. You didn't know." He purred. "Anyway," he continued. "Shouldn't you be heading to meet the patrol on the Windclan border?**

Crowfeather's fur bristled. "What where you doing so close to the border?" He demanded from Bluestar.

"Be quite and you'll find out." Bluestar told himm calmly.

**I thought you had to give them a message from Bluestar."**

"See? It explained." Bluestar meowed. Crowfeather rolled his eyes.

**"Yeah, but there is plenty of time. I was going to do a little hunting first. I'm starving!" "Me too. But I've got to hunt for the Clan before I hunt for myself." "I bet Dustpaw and Sandpaw used to swallow a shrew or two when they were on hunting duty." Snorted Graypaw.**

"No!" Sandstorm exclaimed, eyes widened a little. "We never did!"

"Well..." Dustpelt clearly disagreed. Sandstorm shot a glare at him that told him that he better shut his mouth and not say anything.

**"I wouldn't be surprised if they did, but this is my first solo assignment..." "And you want to do it right; I know." Graypaw sighed. "What is the message from Bluestar, anyways?" Firepaw asked, changing the subject.**

"I've been wondering that too." Breezepelt meowed, both him and Crowfeather glaring at Bluestar.

Bluestar rolled her eyes. She turned to Graystripe. "What I want to know, is why you where taking so long to deliver the message."

"Sorry." Graystripe meowed, but didn't sound like it because it wasn't really a big deal.

**"She wants the patrol to wait at the Great Sycamore until she joins them at sunhigh. Seems that some Shadowclan cats have been prowling around. Bluestar wants to check things out."**

"Is 'it' this chapter or next the chapter?" Yellowfang asked Firestsr, careful not to give anything away.

Firestar knew what she was talking about. "Next chapter, I think." He answered, remembering the fight he had with Yellowfang when he first met her.

**"You best be going then." Firepaw reminded him. "The Windclan hunting grounds aren't too far from here. There's plenty of time," Answered Graypaw confidently. "And I suppose I should help you out after losing you that vole."**

"That's so nice!" Princess purred.

**"It doesn't matter," Firepaw mewed. "I'll find another. It's such a warm day, there should be quite a few out and about." "True, but you still need to catch them." Graypaw nibbled at a front claw, stripping off a piece of the outer sheath thoughtfully. "You know, that could take you until way past sunhigh, maybe even until sunhigh."**

"Hey Cloudtail," Sandstorm suddenly spoke up. "Do you remember your first prey that you caught?"

Cloudtail thought for a moment, "I remember being really cold. Then there was the vole... and Firestar showed up. Then finally I was at camp with Bluestar being mad at me." Princess looked a little surprised that her son had gotten in trouble.

"Yes." Bluestar narrowed her eyes. "You're lucky you had caught something. If you didn't your punishment would have been worse."

Firestar laughed quietly, "You wouldn't let go of that vole."

"No." Cloudtail shook his head. "It was _mine_!"

**Firepaw nodded without enthusiasm as his belly gave a rumble. He would probably have to make three or four hunting trips before he had caught enough prey.**

"You better start then." Stonefur said.

**Silverpelt would be in the sky before he got a chance to eat. Graypaw stroked his whiskers.**

"That sounds weird." Feathertail said.

**"Come on, I'll help you get started. I owe you that, at least. We should be able to catch a few voles before I get going."**

"What happened to all the mice, squirrels, birds, and rabbits?" Squirrelflight asked. "Why is it only voles?"

"Nothing happened." Graystripe answered.

"Then why-" Squirrelflight was cut off as Tigerstar started ready again. She glared at the Dark Forest leader.

**Firepaw followed Graypaw upstream, glad of the company and the help. The fox stench was still in the air, but suddenly stronger. **

"I'm guessing your going to see your first fox." Brokenstar meowed but got no reply.

**Firepaw paused, "Can you smell that?" He asked. "Fox. Yea, I smelled it earlier." "Doesn't it smell fresher now, though?" Firepaw asked.**

"Oh no." Leafpool whispered.

**Graypaw sniffed again, opening his mouth slightly. "You're right." He murmured, lowing his voice. He swivled his head to look across the stream at the bushes in the woods beyond. "Look!" He whispered. Firepaw looked. He saw something red and thick-haired among the bushes. It stepped into a clearing in the undergrowth and Firepaw saw a low body, glinting red in the dappled sunlight. Its tail was heavily furred and it had a long narrow snout.**

"It doesn't attack you dose it?" Princess asked, eyes wide.

"Stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself." Firestar told her.

**"So that's a fox?" Firepaw whispered.**

"I remember the first fox I saw." Hollyleaf shuddered. "We almost lost Jayfeather!"

Half Moon's pelt bristled at the thought of Jayfeather leaving her again.

"I wasn't going to just sit there and let one of the three die." Spottedleaf meowed, remembering how she helped heal Jayfeather after his fall into the camp.

**"What an ugly muzzle!"**

"You can say that again." Stormfur agreed. Graystripe and Firestar laughed, and Stormfur looked over at them confused.

**"You can say that again!"**

"Oh." Stormfur mewed, but couldn't help but smile a bit.

**"I was following one when we first... met." whispered Firepaw. "More like it was following you, you idiot!" Hissed Graypaw. "Never trust a fox.**

"Why would anyone trust a fox?" Echosong asked. Graystripe shrugged.

**Looks like a dog, behaves like a cat. We must warn the queens that one have strayed into our territory. Foxes are as bad as badgers when it comes to killing young kits.**

"Not all badgers are bad, though." Bramblestar meowed.

"Midnight was okay." Crowfeather agreed in a low voice.

"She _saved _us from a fox!" Squirrelflight purred.

"A _badger _saved you from a fox?" Leafstar gasped. "What, how?"

"Midnight isn't a normal badger." Tawnypelt meowed. "She can speak cat."

"And fox, and rabbit." Feathertail added. "She spoke to the foxes and explained to the foxes that we would be gone by the morning."

"We could have gotten in a lot more trouble without her, maybe even lost another cat." Stormfur looked sadly over at his sister.

**I'm just glad that you didn't catch up with the one you saw last time. He'd have made mousemeat out of a tiny scrap like you."**

"That wasn't nice to say." Silverstream gasped.

"Well, I can't say that anymore. I mean, he is taller then me now." Graystripe chuckled.

**Firepaw looked a little put on, and Graypaw added, "You'd have a better chance these days though. Anyway, Bluestar will probably send a warrior patrol to scare it off. Put the queens' minds at rest." The fox had not noticed them, so the two apprentices continued along the stream. "So what dose a badger look like?" Firepaw asked as they prowled along the stream. "Black and white, short legs. You'll know one when you meet one. They are bad-tempered lumbering animals. They are less likely to raid the nursery then a fox, but have a vicious bite.**

"But they still raid nurseries." Cinderpelt meowed, shuddering at the memory of her death.

**How do you think Halftail earned his name? He hasn't been able to climb a tree since a badger bit his tail off!" "Why not?" "Scared of falling, a cat needs his tail if he wants to land on his feet. It helps him spin in midair."**

"I still see Berrynose climbing trees, though." Bumblestripe meowed. "Not often, but he dose."

"Well, Berrynose can be kind of a show-off sometimes." Cinderheart meowed. "He likes to prove that he is the best."

"How did Berrynose even lose his tail?" Mistystar asked.

"Fox trap." Bramblestar sighed. He glared at Hawkfrost, remembering how his brother had trapped Firestar in a fox trap so that Bramblestar could kill him.

Hawkfrost just shrugged and ignored his half brother's glare.

**Firepaw nodded in understanding. As Firepaw predicted, hunting was good that day. Before long Graypaw had pounced on a small mouse and Firepaw had caught a thrush. He quickly took its life. No time to practice killing techniques today; there where too many hungery mouths to feed back at camp.**

"You make it sound like you where hunting for everyone." Mothwing said.

"Not everyone, there where other cats hunting too. But I was excepted to catch a lot." Firestar explained.

**Firepaw kicked earth over the prey, so that it would be safe from predators until he came back for it.**

"Even Riverclan knows to do that." Mistystar meowed.

**Suddenly a squirrel broke cover. Firepaw burst into action. "After it!" He called, pelting at full stretch over the springy woodland floor with Graypaw at his heels.**

"You're never going to catch it like that." Bramblestar said, amused.

"Hey! I have seen many apprentices take off after a squirrel like that." Firestar defended himself. "And don't tell me you haven't done that before."

**They skidded to a halt as a squirrel scampered upward into a birch. "Lost it!" Graypaw growled.**

"I knew you would lose it." Longtail said.

"You had to have known you where going to lose it when you run after it like that." Tigerheart asked.

Dovewing laughed, "Says the cat who let a squirrel jump on his back while showing a group of apprentices how to hunt."

"Oh, you saw that?" Tigerheart shuffled his paws, looking over at her.

"Yea." Dovewing laughed, a few other cats joining in.

"How dose that even happen?" Ivypool asked.

Tigerheart just shrugged and looked at his paws in embarrassment.

**Panting, the two cats stopped to catch their breath. The acrid stench that hit their mouthe and noses surprised them. "The Thunderpath." Firepaw mewed. "I didn't realize we'd had come so far."**

"You must have ran pretty far." Bluestar agreed.

**The two cats edged forward to peer out of the forest at the great, dark path. It was time they had been here alone. A trail of noisy creatures growled along the hard surface, their dead eyes staring strait ahead. "Yuck!" Graypaw snorted, "Those monsters really stink!"**

"And it's even worse on the inside." Graystripe muttered. Leafpool, Mistystar, and Millie meowed in agreement.

**Firepaw twitched his ears in agreement. The choking smells made hie thoat sting. "Have you ever been across the Thunderclan?" He mewed. Graypaw shook his head. Firepaw took a step out of the cover of the forest. A border of oily grass lay between the trees and the Thunderpath. He crept slowly out onto it, and then shrank back as a stinking monster hurtled past. "Hey! Where are you going?"**

"Yes, Firestar? Where are you going?" Sandstorm asked her mate, looking a little angry. She had heard this story many of times, but every time Firestar had left out this part.

Firestar glanced at her nervously but said nothing.

**Graypaw mewed. Firepaw didn't reply. He waited until there was no monsters in sight. Then he edged forward again, across the grass, right to the edge of the path.**

Leafpool pressed against her mentor to calm her.

**Cautiously, he reached out a paw to touch it.**

"What are you doing!" Sandstorm yowled, eyes wide. She hit her mate on the back of the head with her tail. "You where only an apprentice! You know what the Thunderpath can do to cats."

"Sorry! I didn't know at the time." Firestar yelled back, him, Cinderpelt, and Graystripe flinching at what Sandstorm had said. "You should know that I didn't get hit. Don't you think you would have heard about it if I was hit by the monster."

**It felt warm, almost sticky, heated by the sun. He looked up, staring across the Thunderpath. Was that a pair of eyes glinting out of the forest on the other side?**

Yellowfang let out a sigh, knowing what would happen soon.

**He sniffed the air but smelled except the stench of the great gray path. The eyes on the other side where still shinning in the shadows. ****Then they blinked, slowly. Firepaw was sure now. It was a Shadowclan warrior, and it was staring strait at him.**

"Who is it?" Ravenpaw asked.

"That's what I was wondering." Blackstar meowed, it hadn't been him. Even Shadowclan stays away from the Thunderpath the most they can.

Firestar shrugged like he didn't know, when he really did.

**"Firepaw!" Graypaw's voice made Firepaw jump, just as a huge monster, taller than a tree, roared past his nose.**

Bluestar stared at the ground, silent.

"Are you okay, Bluestar?" Whitestorm asked gently.

Bluestar blinked a few times, before looking up at him. "Yes. Just remembering someone."

"Who?" Whitestorm asked.

"Snowfur." Bluestar answered. Whitestorm nodded, remembering losing his mother as a kit.

"Who is Snowfur?" Ivypool asked.

"My sister." Bluestar answered. "She died chasing Shadowclan cats from our territory. She got hit by a monster."

"She is my mom." Whitestorm added. "Thistleclaw is my father."

"Thistleclaw?" Ivypool growled, as her pelt bristled.

"I see you have met him." Whitestorm meowed, and Ivypool nodded.

**The wind from it almost toppled him over. He hurried back into the safety of the forest. "You mouse-brained fool!" Spat Graypaw.**

"Good. He needed to be yelled at." Sandstorm hissed.

**His whiskers trembled with fear and anger. "What were you doing?" "I just wondered what the Thunderpath felt like." Firepaw muttered.**

"Dry, sticky, hot, and _gross_!" Cinderpelt yelled.

**His whiskers where trembling too. "Come on," Hissed Graypaw edgily, "Lets get out of here!" Firepaw followed Graypaw as he leaped away back into the forest. Once they where a safe distance from the Thunderpath, Graypaw stopped to catch his breath. Firepaw sat down and began to lick his ruffled fur. "I think I saw a Shadowclan warrior." He mewed in between licks. "In the forest on the other side of the Thunderpath." "A Shadowclan warrior!" Echoed Graypaw, his eyes wide. "Really?"**

"I still want to know who it was." Blackstar growled.

"Be quite and maybe you'll find out!" Yellowfang snapped.

"But the cat never-" Blackstar stopped himself. He looked at the medicine cat through narrowed eyes. "It was yo-"

"Shut up Blackstar!" Bluestar cut him off. "What ever you where going to say, I'm sure you were correct. But for now, lets read on."

**"I'm pretty sure." "Well, it's a god thing that monster came past when it did," retorted Graypaw. "Were there's one Shadowclan warrior, there's more, and we're no match for them yet. We'd better get out of here." He looked up at the sun, which was almost directly over head.**

"You better go meet that patrol." Ravenpaw reminded him.

"I know!" Graystripe meowed. "Or, knew, I guess."

**"I'd better get a move on if I want to meet that patrol on time." He mewed. "See you later." He sprang into the undergrowth, calling as he went, "You never know; Lionheart might let me come and help you with the hunting once I've delivered the message."**

"Almost done!" Tigerstar stopped to say. He quickly read to finish his turn.

**Firepaw watched him go. He envied Graypaw, wishing he were off joining a warrior patrol. But at least he would have something to tell Dustpaw and Sandpaw when he returned to camp. Today he had seen his first Shadowclan warrior.**

"Done. Finally!" Tigerstar slamed the book shut and threw the book down.

* * *

**I feel like I did good on this one.**

**Who should read next?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again everyone. :) I got a few reviews saying that Ivypool should read, so I guess that's who I'm making read. :D Thanks for all the reviews, I'm happy we got over 60. :D**

**Grasswing of Wingclan- Yea, I felt bad for Snowfur too. It was a sad part in the book, Bluestar has lost so much. I don't blame her for kind of going crazy.**

**Stream That Flows Around Rock- I was imagining the one with Millie and SIlverstream, I laughed. :D I might use that later. I think Graystripe has enough trouble already though when he sits in between the two.**

**Bravelove- I own almost every Warriors book, so I should be able to go pretty far in the series. :) But it will take a while...**

* * *

"I guess I will read." Ivypool reached for the book at Tigerstar's paws. Tigerstar glared at her as she pulled the book closer and opened it to the right page.

"Wait!" Spottedleaf said before Ivypool could start reading. "There are three more cats joining us."

"_More_ cats?" Tawnypelt groaned. "How many will there be?"

Spottedleaf shrugged, and turned to look at the camp entrance as three cats padded in.

"Tallstar!" Onestar gasped as Stonefur called out, "Brook, over here!"

"Sorreltail!" Leafpool called her friend over to come sit by her. Sorreltail smiled as she looked around at the group.

Tallstar greeted Onestar by touching noses with him and sitting down by him.

Brook hurried over to Stonefur and purred as he licked her ear.

"Can I read now?" Ivypool asked after a minute.

"Yes." Spottedleaf answered.

Dovewing looked over her sisters shoulder to read. Ivypool cleared her throat, ignored her sister, then began to read.

**Firepaw retraced his steps and headed back for the stream. He thought of those eyes burning from the darkness of the Shadowclan territory. Suddenly he caught a faint smell on the breeze. **

"What is it?" Bumblestripe asked.

"Shut up and you'll find out." Brokenstar spat.

**A stranger! Perhaps that Shadowclan warrior. Instantly a growl rumbled in Firepaw's throat. The scent told him many things. The stranger was a she-cat, not young and definitely not from Thunderclan. She carried no distinct scent of any of the Clans, but Firepaw could tell that she was tired, hungry, and sick and she was in an ugly mood.**

"Then it's probably just a rouge." Onestar meowed. His Clan had been driven out around this time so he didn't know what happened.

"This is around the time Firestar joined, right?" Tallstar asked.

"Yes, two moons after." Bluestar answered.

**Dropping low, Firepaw moved forward, heading towards the scent. Then he paused in puzzlement. The warrior scent was fainter now. He sniffed again. Suddenly, with a lightning movement, a snarling ball of fur burst out of the bushes behind him.**

"Yes! More fighting!" Hawkfrost grinned.

"Do you want me to get hurt?" Firestar growled.

"Yes, I do." Hawkfrost answered, flexing his claws.

**Firepaw screeched in shock as the she-cat rammed into him, knocking him sideways. Two heavy paws clamped down onto his shoulders, and iron jaws closed around the back of his neck.**

Yellowfang let out a sigh, looking at the ground.

"What are you hiding from us?" Breezepelt asked, looking a little annoyed.

"I'm not hiding anything!" Yellowfang growled.

**"Murr-oww!" he grunted, already thinking fast. If the other cat were to sink its fangs in too deep, it would all be over. He forced himself to go limp, relaxing his shoulders in submission, and letting out a pretend howl of alarm. "Ah, puny apprentice. Easy prey for Yellowfang." she hissed.**

"Yellowfang?" All the cats who didn't know it had been her yowled/gasped/asked.

"I did _not _see that coming." Lionblaze meowed.

"Me either." Cloudtail shook his head.

"Yes, I kick you out and what do you do?" Brokenstar growled at her. "Go strait to Thunderclan! You are a traitor and a liar."

Yellowfang just sat there silently, watching their reactions.

**At the insult, Firepaw felt a surge of fury. Just wait. He'd show this coughed-up furball what kind of warrior he was! But not yet, he told himself. Wait until you feel her teeth again. **

"Here it comes _again_." Graystripe meowed. "At least it's Yellowfang being thrown off his back and not me again."

Yellowfang let out a low growl.

**Yellowfang bit down. Firepaw surged upwards with all the strength in his powerful young body. The she-cat gave a snarl of surprise as she was thrown clear. She tumbled backward into a thorn bush. Firepaw shook himself, "Not such easy prey, huh?" Yellowfang hissed in defiance as she tore herself free from the clinging branches. "Not bad, young apprentice." She spat back, "But you'll need to do a lot better!"**

"I may be a medicine cat, but I was a warrior first." Yellowfang reminded him.

**Firepaw blinked when he saw his opponent clearly for the first time. The she-cat had a broad, almost flat face, and round orange eyes. Her dark gray fur was long and matted into smelly clumps. Her ears were torn and ragged, and her muzzle was traced with the scars of many old battles.**

"My face is not flat!" Yellowfang growled. "And it may be matted, but not into smelly clumps."

**Firepaw stood his ground. He puffed out his chest and glared a challenge into the intruder's face. "You're in Thunderclan's hunting ground. Move on!" "Who's going to make me?" Yellowfang drew back her lips defiantly, exposing stained and broken teeth.**

"My teeth are not-" Yellowfang was cut off.

"Your name is _Yellowfang._" Graystripe pointed out.

Yellowfang glared at him. "Well they aren't broken!"

Graystripe started, "Well-"

"You better stay quite unless you want to end up like him-" Yellowfang gestured in Tigerstar's direction "- on his first death."

Graystripe's fur bristled but he kept silent.

**"I will hunt. Then I will leave. Or maybe I will just stay a while..." "Enough talk!" Firepaw spat, feeling the stir of ancient spirits deep inside him. There was no trace of the house cat in him now. His warrior blood was up. He was itching to fight, to defend his territory and protect his Clan.**

"Like every warrior should." Bluestar purred.

**Yellowfang seemed to sense the change in him. Her fierce orange eyes sparkled with new respect. Dipping her head and breaking eye contact, she started to back off. "No need to be haste, now," She purred in a silky tone.**

"That's not going to work." Stonefur snorted.

"At least I tried." Yellofang said.

**Firepaw wasn't fooled by her trickery. Claws extended and fur on end, he leapt forward, his war cry ringing out: "Grr-aar!"**

"Oh, there it is again!" Graystripe laughed. "His terrible war cry."

"Like yours was any better." Firestar said back, smirking.

"It was pretty bad, Graystripe." Whitestorm chucked.

"You're supposed to be on _my_ side!" Graystripe shouted at him.

Whitestorm just rolled his eyes at the warrior.

**With a hiss of rage, the other cat responded. Snarling and spitting, young cat and old locked together.**

"That sounds weird..." Tawnypelt meowed.

"It sounds wrong..." Bumblestripe added.

**They rolled over and over, teeth and claws flashing. Ears pressed flat against his head, Firepsw foght to get a grip. But the she-cat's clumpy fur snagged in his claws,**

"That's really the only thing it's good for." Yellowfang muttered. "It keeps cats from clawing me."

**and he couldn't break through to the skin. Then Yellowfang reared up on her back leggs. With her filthy tail bristling, she looked even bigger.**

"Why do you keep insulting me?" Yellowfang hissed at Firestar.

"I'm not!" Firestar exclaimed.

**Firepaw scenced Yellowfang's huge jaws lunging towards him. He leaned backward, just in time. Snap!**

"Snap?" Princess was shaking from the thought of her brother getting hurt, or killed. Her eyes where wide and her face was pale.

Cloudtail pressed his pelt against her's. "Firestar's just fine. He didn't get hurt."

"Then how do you explain those scars?" Princess asked.

Firestar looked at his scars, "Riverclan, Shadowclan, or Tigerstar. Maybe one from Hawkfrost..." He explained. "I don't think I have one from Windclan, though." He paused. "I've been in a lot of fights."

**Bared teeth closed on the air next to his ear. Instinctively, Firepaw lashed out with a backswipe. His paw caught the side of Yellowfang's head. The force of it sent shock waves up his front leg. "Yee-ow!" Stunned, Yellowfang dropped onto four paws. She shook her head to clear it. **

"Now! Now's your chance!" Blackstar shouted, excited from the fight.

**In the single heartbeat before the she-cat recovered, Firepaw saw his chance. He threw himself forward, crouching low, and clamped his jaws tight on Yellowfang's back leg.**

"Now kick him in the face!" Blackstar yelled.

"Hey!" Firestar exclaimed. "Do you _want _me hurt?"

**"Murr- ugh!" The taste of the matted fur was horrible, but he chomped down hard. "Reow- ow- wow!" Yellowfang screamed in agony and whipped around to snap Firepaw's tail.**

"Can you make that sound again?" Cloudtail asked.

"I'd rather now." Yellowfang growled. "But you can." She crouched down and aimed for his hind leg.

Cloudtail, seeing this, pressed closer to Brightheart and tucked his legs closer to him.

**Her teeth connected, and pain launched up Firepaw's spine, but it only made him angrier. He ripped his tail from his opponent's grip, and lashed it back and forth in rage. Yellowfang crouched, ready for a fresh attack. Her breath seemee to wheeze up from her foul smelling lungs.**

"Hey! I was sick!" Yellowfang sat up again.

**The scent blasted Firepaw's nose. Up close, the message of desperation and weakness, and the aching void of the she-cat's hunger, was almost painful. Something stirred inside him, an unwarrior like feeling he didn't want: pity.**

"Pity?" Brokenstar spat. "Just kill her now! While you can!"

Yellowfang turned to glare at him, who was only sitting one or two cats away. She darted forward and lashed out with her paw. She returned back to her spot, Brokenstar left with bleeding scratches across his muzzle. Brokenstar just stared at her, shocked, angry, and in pain.

**He tried not to dwell on this instinct- he knew his loyalty must be to the Clan- but he couldn't shake free of it. "You speak from your heart, young Firepaw." Lionheart's words echoed in his head once more. "This will make you a stronger warrior one day." Then Tigerclaw's warning rang in his ears: "Or it might make him give into Kittypet weakness right at the moment of attack."**

"Don't let him get to you." Graystripe meowed.

**Yellowfang lundged forward and Firepaw jerked instantly back into aggression. The bigger cat tried to reach up onto his shoulders and get a killing grip, **

"You where going to kill him?" Princess gasped. Before Yellowfang could say anything, Princess continued. "Oh, Firestar. You should have never left for the wild. It's dangerous! You would be safe and happy with your Housefolk. If I had known it was so dangouse, I would have never let you or Cloudtail-"

Firestar covered her mouth with his tail. "I'm happy here. Being a Kittypet wasn't for me. You know that I wouldn't be happy a Kittypet."

"I wouldn't either." Cloudtail added. "Trust me, I've tried, when I was an apprentice."

"What?" Princess exclaimed. "Why wasn't I told?"

"You've been a Kittypet before?" Dovewing asked. She knew he was born one, but he had whent back to the Twolegs after entering the Clan?

Ravenpaw meowed, "I had helped bring him back to the Clan. I was the only one who knew where he was."

"I didn't want to be one!" Cloudtail protested. "They took me!"

"It's your fault you where eating their food." Sandstorm said.

"Alright, that's enough." Bluestar said. "Now read."

Ivypool nodded, then read.

**but this time she was hampered by her wounded leg.**

"Sickness, and a hurt leg! She shouldn't be fighting!" Spottedleaf gasped.

"I've been in worse pain." Yellowfang shrugged.

**"Gar- off!" Firepaw arched his spine, but Yellowfang managed to dig her claws in and hung on tight. The bigger cat' weight forced him to the ground.**

"So now I'm fat?" Yellowfang hissed.

"No. You where just bigger than me." Firestar replyed.

**Firepaw tasted the earth**

"Was it good?" Cloudtail asked.

"Why don't you try it for yourself?" Tigerstar reached over and shoved the white cat's face in the ground.

Cloudtail stugged for a moment, before finally pulling away. He spat dirt at Tigerstar before hissing, "Do you know how hard it is to clean this fur?"

Graystripe said, "I know how it is." Yellowfang, Stormfur, and Brokenstar nodded in agreement.

"I know it's hard because I've tried helping before." Brightheart said, looking at his now dirty, long and thick fur. "I would help, but after this I need to go make sure the kits are asleep."

Cloudtail let out a loud sigh, and started licking his paw and bringing it over his face.

**on his tongue and spat out a mouthful of grit. "Pah!" He twisted nimbly to avoid Yellowfang's thrashing back legs and thorn sharp claws that where trying to rake at his soft underbelly.**

"I'm not surprised. Everyone dose that." Mistystar meowed.

"You don't get hurt too bad, right?" Princess looked pale.

"No, I don't." Firestar promised her.

**Over and over they rolled, biting and snaping. Moments later they broke apart. Firepaw was gasping for breath now. But he sensed that Yellowfang was weakening. The she-cat was badly wounded, and her back legs could barely support her scrawny body. "Had enough yet?" Firepaw growled.**

"If I know Yellowfang," Jayfeather said. "Her answer would be no."

**If the intruder gave way, he'd let her go with just a warning bite to remember him by. "Never!" Yellowfang hissed back bravely.**

"I guees you where right." Bumblestripe meowed to Jayfeather.

**But her injered leg gave way and she slumped to the ground. She tried to to up and failed. Her eyes were dull as she hissed up at Firepaw. "If I weren't so hungry and tired, I'd have shredded you into mousedust." The she-cat's face twisted in pain and defiance. "Finish me off. I won't stop you."**

"What?" Squirrelflight exclaimed. "You wanted to be killed?"

"Firestar would never do that!" Leafpool added.

"The only cats I have killed are Scourge, Tigerstar, and Whitethroat. Whitethroat was an accident though." Firestar meowed.

"_You _were the one that killed Whitethroat?" Blackstar growled.

"On accident!" Firestar exclaimed. "It wasn't my fault!"

Blackstar glared at him but said nothing. How dare he kill one of his warriors!

**Firepaw hesitated. He' never killed another cat before. Perhaps, in the heat of battle, he would, but a mercy killing, in cold blood? That was something different. "What are you waiting for?" Yellowfang taunted. "Your dithering like a Kittypet!" **

"Because he is one." Brokenstar said, making Firestar hiss.

**Firepaw smarted at the she-cat's words. Could she still smell the scent of Twoleg's on him, even now, after all this time?**

"Of course not." Oakheart shook his head.

"You've been in Thunderclan so long that she wouldn't have known the difference." Redtail added.

**"I'm a apprentice warrior of Thunderclan!" He snapped. Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. She'd seem Firepaw flinch at her words and knew thst she'd hit a nerve. "Ha," she snorted. "Don't tell me that Thunderclan is so desperate that they have to recruit Kittypets now?"**

"No!" Most Thunderclan cats yowled.

**"Thunderclan is not desperate!" Hissed Firepaw. "Prove it then! Act lik a warrior and finish me off. You'll be doing me a favor."**

"How is killing you a favor?" Dovewing asked.

"I've had a harder life then any of you know." Yellowfang said.

**Firepaw stared at her. He would not be gloated into killing this miserable creature. His muscles relaxed as curiosity pricked him. How had a Clan cat gotten in such a state? Thunderclan elders were looked after better than kits! "You seem in an awful hurry to die." He meowed. "Yeah? Well, that's my business, mousefodder," Yellowfang snapped. "What's your problem kitty? Are you trying to talk me to death?" Her words were brave, but Firepaw could could small the hunger and sickness that were coming off the other cat in waves.**

"We get it! She was sick, hungry, and hurt." Longtail growled.

**She was goin to die anyway if she didn't get food soon. And since she could hardly hunt for herself, perhaps he should kill her now.**

"No!" Most cats shouted at the same time.

**The two cate looked at each other, uncertainty in both their gazes. "Wait here," he ordered at last. Yellowfang seemed to deflate. Her hackles smoothed out and her tail lost her gores-bush stiffness. "Are you kidding me, kitty? I'm not going nowhere." She grunted, limping painfully toward a patch of soft heather.**

"Isn't heather an herb?" Hollyleaf asked, trying to remember.

"The nectar can be used. All it dose is sweeten mixtures and make swallowing it easyer." Jayfeather answered.

"I never knew that." Mothwing said, "I'll have to remember that."

**She flopped down and began licking her leg wound. Firepaw briefly glanced over his shoulder at her and hissed quietly in exasperation before heading for the trees.**

"What dose exasperation mean?" Redtail asked Princess, who always answered these questions.

"Exasperation." Princess said. "A feeling of intense irritation or annoyance."

**As he padded silently through the ferns, sun-warmed odors filled his nose, and he caught the sour reek of a long dead rat. He heard furry things scurrying over leaves. His first thought had been to dig up the thrush he had killed earlier, but that would take too long. Maybe he should go and scoop uo the rat carcass. Easy meat, but a starving cat needed fresh kill.**

"You wouldn't _dare _bring me crowfood." Yellowfang snarled.

"The code!" Hollyleaf yelled. "You're breaking the code!" Lionblaze rolled is eyes.

"Well, you better get used to it. We broke it a lot." Graystripe laughed.

"I think you broke it more than me." Firestar said, looking at his friend sitting between his two mates, a Riverclan cat and a former Kittypet.

Graystripe shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

**Only when times were very hard would a warrior eat crowfood. Just then he paused, scenting a young rabbit ahead. A few more steps and he saw it. Flattening himself down, he stalked the rabbit. He was barely a mouse legth away before it detected him. By then it was too late. The white bobtail darting away sent the thrill of the chase surging through Firepaw's veins. A rush of speed, a flash of claws, and he had it.**

"It's that simple!" Mistystar growled.

Sandstorm nodded, "It's actually pretty easy." She quickly added, "If you have the right training."

**He held the wiggling body and and finished it of quickly. Yellowfang looked up tiredly as Firepaw dropped the rabbit on the ground beside her. Her grizzled jaw dropped. "Well, hello again, Kitty! I thought you'd gone to fetch your little warrior friends."**

"We are not little!" Al the Thunderclan cats yowled/growled.

"Yea, Windclan are the little ones!" Dustpelt added.

"Little!" Onestar and Tallstar both gasped. Crowfeather and Breezepelt hissed.

Book just sat there, not wanting to add that some Tribe cats are smaller than Windclan cats.

**"Yeah? Well I might still do that. And don't call me kitty." Firepaw growled,**

"You didn't need to get them." Bluestar meowed, "We found you anyways."

"Spoiler!" A lot of cats yelled at her.

**ahoving the rabbit nearer with his nose. He felt embarrassed by his kindness. "Look, if you don't want this..." "Ah- no." Yellowfang meowed hastily. "I do want it." Firepaw watched the she-cat rip open the prey and start to swallow it down. His own hunger rose up and his mouth filled with water. **

"Don't eat it." Tawnypelt said, shaking her head.

**He knew that he shouldn't even be thinking about eating. He still had to take back enough prey for the Clan, but the fresh kill smelled delicious. "Mmmm-mm" A few minutes later, Yellowfang gave a huge sigh and flopped onto her side. "First fresh kill I've had for days." She licked her muzzle clean and settled down to give herself a thorough wash. **

Cloudtail opened his mouth to say that he wanted to eat. But, he closed it again when he got a glare from Firestar.

**As if one made much difference. Firepaw thought, nose twitching. She was the arch-cat of stench.**

Yellowfang hissed angrily as everyone burst out laughing.

**He eyed the tattered remains of the prey.**

Cloudtail didn't say anything, but his belly growled. Brightheart laughed and licked his ear.

**There wasn't much left to line a growing cat's belly, but his fight with Yellowfang had sharpened his appetite even more; he gave into his hunger and gulped down the scraps.**

"If he can give into the hunger, can I?" Cloudtail asked.

"No, because we are going to sleep after this." Bramblestar told him.

"And you know that you eating right before sleeping gives you weird dreams." Brightheart told him.

"Yea, last time I did that I had a dream about white squirrels." Cloudtail looked confused, "Why did they want to eat me?" A few cats laughed.

"Cloudtail?" Stormfur mewoed, whiskers twitching. "Did you know that in the Tribe, we usually only eat one time a day?"

"One time?" Cloudtail gasped, looking scared. "That's terrible! How do you survive?!"

Brook and Stormfur laughed at his reaction.

**It was delicious. He licked his lips, savoring every last tate, tingling from head to paw. Yellowfang watched him closely, showing her stained teeth. "Better than the muck Twolegs feed some our brothers, isn't it?" She mewed shyly. Knowing she had found his sore spot, she was trying to antagonize him. Firepaw ignored her and began to wash. "It's poison." Yellowfang went on. "Rat droppings! Only a spineless bad of fur would accept such disgusting frog-"**

"What made her stop?" Brook asked.

Before anyone could answer, Princess blurted out angrily, "The food isn't that bad! Not the kind I get. What do you have against us Housecats?"

"Some cats just don't like them. They don't like being around Twolegs, so they don't like Kittypets." Firestar said, glancing over at a few cats in the circle. "But I have found some Kittypets to be just as good, skilled, and loyal as any wild cat."

Blackstar muttered, "Because you are one."

"I heard that!" Firestar growled.

"Good!" Blackstar yelled back. "Because it's true!"

**She broke off and tensed. "Shh... Warriors coming." Firepaw was also aware of the cats approaching. He could hear their soft paws fall on the leaf litter and the sound of fur swishing through branches. He smelled the wind brushing against their coats. Familiar smells. These were Thunderclan warriors, confident enough in their own territory not to care about the noise.**

"You're in _trouble_!" A large group of cats cats sang/yelled, holding out the word trouble.

**Firepaw licked his lips guiltily, hopeing to wash away any of the traces of the scraps he'd just swallowed. Then he looked at Yellowfang and the fresh pile of rabbit bones that lay beside her.**

"Get rid of them!" Breezepelt said.

"Hide them or something." Crowfeather added.

**"The Clan must be fed first!" Lionheart's voice rang through his head once more. But surely they could understand why Firepaw had fed this wrenched creature. His mind reeled, suddenly fearful of what would happen to him.**

"You'd probably just have to clean a den or stay in camp or search the elders for ticks." Squirrelflight listed off some punishments she had gotten as an apprentice. "I feel like I am forgetting another one."

"Not being able to see a certain warrior?" Bramblestar offered. "Firestar got mad at me for just helping you out of a bramble bush!"

"Yea, that too." Squirrelflight nodded. "But that was because of some stupid prophecy that they got wrong. It wasn't really because I did anything wrong."

"Sorry." Firestar sighed. A lot of cats looked over at them in surprise or confusion.

**His first apprentice task, and he had ended up breaking the warrior code!**

"Done." Ivypool set the book down.

"Time to sleep." Sandstorm yawned.

* * *

**Good, it's done. In was like half asleep when I wrote that last part. I stayed up really late to finish this so I can post it today. But I still feel like I could have done better.**


End file.
